Under Your Spell
by JStone95
Summary: HP!Crossover. Her Veela heritage has both been a blessing and a curse for Quinn Fabray in her entire life. Her unearthly beauty and irresistible thrall has always gotten her what she wanted, yet kept her away from what she needed – genuine love. So when she meets Rachel Berry, who remains unaffected by her thrall, Quinn decides to take fate into her own hands.
1. Chapter 1

**Harry Potter Crossover**

**Pairing: Faberry**

**Setting: Postwar era, Hogwarts.**

**Summary: ** Her Veela heritage has both been a blessing and a curse for Quinn Fabray in her entire life. Her unearthly beauty and irresistible thrall has always gotten her what she wanted, yet kept her away from what she needed – genuine love.

**Disclaimer:** Bless JK Rowling. And to some extent, Glee for their characters.

**AN: Shortfic, up to three chapters. Because one long fic is enough :)**

* * *

She intrigued her. Very much so. But her deep-rooted pride didn't allow her to let the smallest emotion of curiosity flicker across her mostly indifferent face.

Quinn swiftly shut her book in displeasure, not able to concentrate in the library with some of her admirers unabashedly watching her every move. She didn't want to be observed while she herself was observing someone. And that someone was the reason why she even bothered to enter the library despite knowing that all eyes would be trained on her the whole time.

Annoyance was almost a constant expression on Quinn's face, appearing so often that she was apprehensive of the wrinkle between her eyebrows becoming a constant, too. From time to time she would subconsciously touch her forehead, reassuring herself that there were no permanent wrinkles marring her otherwise flawless face. Other times she wished there were wrinkles, so people would stop following her around because they deemed her as perfect.

Quinn didn't spare her stalkers a glance as she placed her book back into the shelf, it would only encourage them. When she left the library, there was only one person she graced with a look. And that person didn't even notice the lingering look she received since her nose was buried deep inside of a history book.

–

"Rach, we still need a Seeker for our Quidditch team," was the first thing Noah Puckerman decided to say once he sat down at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall.

"That is nice Noah, and what am I supposed to do with that information?" Rachel Berry absently replied as she looked for a plate of food that wouldn't rest heavy on her stomach. A helping of fried tomatoes and roast potatoes would do. While she reached for the vegetables, her fellow Slytherin helped himself to beef casserole and lamb chops.

"I know you got a Firebolt for your birthday, the package wasn't really hard to figure out." Puckerman put a generous amount of mashed potatoes onto his already full plate. "So I'm coming to the conclusion that you can fly."  
"I am afraid you came to the wrong conclusion," Rachel merely remarked and shortly sipped on her pumpkin juice. "My fathers are just a little bit deluded about my actual preferences. I believe they misinterpreted my metaphorical wish to reach the stars. All I wanted was a book about astronomy."

Puckerman's full mouth slowed down in its chewing motion. He wanted to retort, but once he saw the warning look he received, he decided to finish chewing first.

"Unbelievable," Puckerman coughed out once he swallowed his bite. "I won't comment on how crazy you must be, wanting a lame book instead of a Firebolt that is too expensive for me to even touch."

"You can have it," Rachel was quick to reply, her offer meant genuinely as she held no interest in it.

"No or I'll be forever your house-elf," Puckerman brushed it off, ignoring the criticizing look he received for mentioning the little creatures. "I want you to put it to good use and win us the Quidditch Cup this year. Man I'm sick of those gloating Gryffindor faces."

At the mention of their house rivals, they both looked up from their plates and sent disdainful glances across the hall.

"Just look at Weasley Junior – thinks he's great shit because his dad helped Harry Potter to defeat the Dark Lord," Puckerman grimly muttered. "If his sister Rose wasn't so hot, I would've beaten him up after that Quidditch match. Lousy Keeper."

Only half-listening, Rachel's judging eyes were trained on Lily Potter, the youngest child of the Chosen One, sitting at the Gryffindor table. The grudge that she held against her wasn't personal. They were both Prefects of their respective houses, the pride and joy of Slytherin and Gryffindor, and the competition between them was on an academic level. They always tried to outdo each other.

After Lily Potter had snatched away the lead in a school musical right under Rachel's nose, the brunette had been searching for ways to succeed somewhere else. Maybe this was her chance. Her chance to prove herself, not only to Lily, but to the whole school that she was more than just a bookworm. She had been sorted into Slytherin for a reason. If the Sorting Hat had only seen intelligence in her, then she would be sitting at the Ravenclaw table now.

"When do you expect me on the Quidditch field?" Rachel said with determination written all over her face.

Puckerman dropped his cutlery in excitement. "Really? Yes, I need to notify Santana! We'll get you in the common room after dinner."

Completely neglecting his half-full plate, he jumped off the bench and strode over to the Hufflepuff table where Santana was sitting because of her girlfriend Brittany Pierce who wore her yellow badge proudly.

Rachel found they were quite a match. Green and yellow seemed to blend well together.

The brunette was about to turn back to her food when she suddenly felt like being watched. Her head turning, she casted a glance at the Ravenclaw table behind her to find Quinn Fabray looking her way. Surprised and unsure if the quarter Veela was actually looking at her, Rachel turned to her sides to see whether someone else was holding eye-contact with her. But everyone on her side of the Slytherin table had their back turned to the rest of the hall.

"Huh."

Rachel craned her neck to look at the blonde again, but she wasn't looking up anymore, her face as blank as white canvas. How lovely would it be to paint a smile on it, Rachel thought. Maybe the colors green and blue were a match as well.

–

Rachel couldn't believe that she had never bothered to play Quidditch before. It was wonderful, being weightless and floating in the air, leaving all sorrows on the ground and coming a tad nearer to the stars. Her Firebolt had seemed to feel her excitement and given its everything, flying in such a speed to the point where she had become a blurry spot in the sky, and Puckerman and Lopez had to keep turning their heads to follow Rachel's route.

Still buzzing in excitement from her flight in the evening, Rachel forgot how much she disliked to patrol Hogwarts' corridors at night with Scorpius Malfoy until the latter one made his unpleasant presence known.

"I heard you'll be trying out for Seeker. I thought you didn't like sticks between your legs?" the boy with the white blond hair sneered.

Rachel was used to his scathing remarks by now. He was all bark but no bite, just like his father had been.

"Lumos," Rachel muttered to herself and the tip of her wand lit up. "Professor Sylvester ordered us to patrol the corridors on the third floor tonight."

"The third floor?" Malfoy repeated and his voice sounded strained.

Unimpressed, Rachel pointed her glowing wand towards the moving staircases. "Yes. Let's get going."

When Malfoy didn't move from his spot, Rachel rolled her eyes and sighed. "There is no three-headed dog to attack you, it is foolish to believe all the myths that Hogwarts holds."

"Those aren't myths," Malfoy snapped. "My father told me he saw everything with his own eyes, the dog, the Basilisk -"

"If he saw the Basilisk with his own eyes, then you wouldn't even exist," Rachel impatiently said. "Those are legends. Passed from generation to generation. Now can we go?"

"Alright, but you walk in front of me. I'm one of the last pure-bloods."

Rachel sighed and walked in front. She was innerly glad that she didn't have to walk besides him.

Once they were situated on the third floor, they got into their usual routine. Rachel would patrol one end of the corridor and Malfoy the other.

Nothing out of ordinary happened for half an hour until Rachel heard a faint scream. She turned on her heels and hurried back to the middle of the corridor with her wand stretched out, ready to conjure spells at any time. When she caught a mop of white blonde hair vanishing around the corner, she rolled her eyes and lowered her wand. Most likely did Filch's cat Mrs Norris scare Malfoy away like the last two times.

"Not such a tough guy, is he?"

Rachel startled and whipped around, pointing her glowing wand at someone before realizing that it was just another Prefect. "Oh, hello Lorcan. So you were the one who scared him away?"

The Ravenclaw Prefect laughed and nodded. "I couldn't let this chance pass by. He made fun of my mother for her research on Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. She will find them and prove him wrong."

"Scamander, where a you?" an annoyed female voice called from another floor. "If I have to patrol alone one more time, then your Prefect badge won't be the only thing you'll be losing."

Lorcan Scamander grimaced. To Rachel he whispered, "It's Fabray. Such a joy to hang out with." Then louder, he called, "I'm here, third floor. Right by the stairs where the Nargles are."

Rachel liked the Ravenclaw boy and his twin brother Lysander even though they were both a bit peculiar, but that was to be expected if your mother was Luna Lovegood, a famous wizarding naturalist. Rumors had it that she had helped Harry Potter to break into the Ministry of Magic in their fifth year.

Once the large stairs shifted and connected to the third floor's corridor, a lithe figure appeared and neared them. Rachel watched Quinn Fabray approaching with interest. In her one year of patrolling at night, they had never met before.

Quinn's steps slowed down once she realized that her fellow Ravenclaw Prefect wasn't alone.

"Scamander, we don't have time for chit-chats," Quinn coolly said, purposely not looking at Rachel.

"But apparently we do when you meet Pierce," Lorcan mumbled and bid goodbye to Rachel, who wished him goodnight. Playfully glaring at Quinn, the boy strolled past her and stepped onto the stairs. When the blond girl wanted to follow him, the stairs had moved and she watched in disbelief how Lorcan laughed at her from his moving position.

"What was Professor McGonagall thinking when she made him Prefect," Quinn said under her breath.

"I do believe it is because he can keep the ability to talk when he's around you," Rachel suggested from behind, reminding the blonde of her presence.

Quinn's masked expression set in place, she turned around and faced Rachel with indifference though she was innerly feeling uneasy. "I cannot recall asking you for your opinion."

Rachel remained unimpressed as she had long figured out the self-defense mechanism that the quarter Veela seemed to have developed over the years. "I cannot recall needing to be asked to have an opinion. I believe, as the Americans like to say, that this is a free country where the freedom of speech grants me the right to voice my opinion whether it's wanted or not."

Quinn's expression slipped into her most frequently used one, annoyance. "Are you sure you've been sorted into the right house? A know-it-all in Slytherin?"

"I could ask you the same, you know," Rachel calmly retorted. "I thought Ravenclaws were led by their brains and not by their negative feelings."

Quinn forgot about her duty to patrol the corridors and didn't notice when the stairs were back in place. She challengingly stepped towards Rachel instead. "The Sorting Hat is never wrong. If he saw darkness within me, I would be in your snake hole now."

"What a lovely prejudice against our honorable house," Rachel said with pursed lips. "We Slytherins pride ourselves on our ambition to strive for the best, which we achieve through our cunning minds and our resourcefulness. But if you want to know, the Sorting Hat didn't know where to put me at first. He considered all four houses."

Quinn's eyes flickered across Rachel's face, searching for truth. When the Slytherin stared back at her openly, Quinn slowly said, "Same with me. He saw a lot of things in me that I didn't. Brains was the only thing I could agree with him on."

Surprised at the revelation, Rachel suddenly felt oddly honored. She was sure that this was a fact that no one else knew about Quinn Fabray and she was the first one to hear it from the direct source. Her stance immediately softened.

"I am sorry, about before," Rachel gently said. "You are a great addition to the Ravenclaw house. And I should be more sensible about the right time to voice opinions."

For the first time since Rachel could remember, she became the witness of something incredible – a genuine smile from Quinn.

"No, you were right. I was rude to you and this is a free country after all," Quinn said, her smile still in place.

Both grinning at each other, they completely forgot about their patrolling duties until Quinn snapped out of it. "I'm sorry, I need to go now. Scamander will probably wonder where I am."

"Oh, of course," Rachel said in disappointment. She didn't really care about Malfoy as he certainly was back in his dorm and hiding under his bedcover from imaginary monsters.

"I will see you around," Quinn softly said and gracefully stepped onto the moving stairs. Rachel watched her being transported to the second floor. They shared a shy hand wave before they went off to their respective directions.

A grin broke out onto Rachel's expression. She liked the idea of green and blue even more now.

–

Once Rachel was out of sight, Quinn released a deep breath and loosened her blue-striped tie.

That girl wasn't wrong about McGonagall's decision to appoint Scamander to her fellow Prefect. The peculiar boy was completely unfazed by Quinn's relatively weak yet alluring thrall. She was just a quarter Veela, almost entirely human. But her uncontrollable thrall was enough to pull everyone with a slight interest in her in and make them lose their heads around her. It applied to both genders, and those who weren't romantically interested in her were either irrationally jealous of her to the point of hate or they were indifferent to her like Lorcan Scamander was. But the latter one was a rare case.

In Quinn's situation, most girls were envious of her gift as she had to do absolutely nothing to gain attention from the male population, rendering them into a speechless mass with her simple presence. And as much as those girls hated Quinn for snatching away potential boyfriends, the blonde hated her own gift twice as much.

She didn't have any real friends besides Brittany Pierce and Tina Cohen-Chang. She couldn't let strangers come too close to her or they could be in a position to hurt her. It had happened before, she had been used before, people liked to associate themselves with her because of her beauty, in hopes her Veela glow would make them shine in a brighter light, too.

"You hypocrite, you let me patrol alone," Scamander startled her from behind. "But shift's over anyway. Let's go back to our dorm."

Quinn worldlessly fell into pace next to him. He was one of the few she could hold a conversation with and it reminded her of how effortlessly she had talked to Rachel Berry. The brunette had challenged her, had demanded witty responses and sharp comebacks, she had kept up with Quinn. It had aggravated her slightly, but it had made her feel alive as the passion had ignited something inside of her, the flame to defend her rightful place in her house.

She would have loved to keep the conversation going for once. It was probably the most stimulating conversation she had in a while. Without wanting to offend her friendship with Brittany and Tina, they just didn't challenge her. They were more of a quiet nature and didn't often engage Quinn in topics that could end up in a heated discussion.

As Quinn said goodnight to Scamander and retreated to her dorm, all she could think about was talking to Rachel Berry again. Because talking to her was so much better than just watching her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Harry Potter Crossover**

**Pairing: Faberry**

**Setting: Postwar era, Hogwarts.**

**Summary: ** Her Veela heritage has both been a blessing and a curse for Quinn Fabray in her entire life. Her unearthly beauty and irresistible thrall has always gotten her what she wanted, yet kept her away from what she needed – genuine love.

**Disclaimer:** Bless JK Rowling. And to some extent, Glee for their characters. But only their characters.

* * *

She fascinated her. Very much so. But as Rachel wasn't raised in a jungle, she had the decency not to openly stare at the alluring quarter Veela, which she couldn't say for most of her peers.

Her disapproving gaze on the leering boys couldn't even begin to convey all the disgust she actually felt inside. The library, which used to be her quiet sanctuary, had become suffocatingly crowded since Quinn Fabray had one day decided to study in here as well. Nobody had bothered to visit the dusty shelves of Hogwarts before, leaving Rachel and Madam Pince alone as they enjoyed filling their minds with knowledge or thrilling stories. But it had become a struggle for the Hogwarts librarian to keep this place remotely quiet, and she had long given up trying to throw out all the students that weren't here to do homework. Which were a lot, and it frustrated Rachel to no end that she belonged to those few who truly wished to study.

Maybe she could exchange a few words with Quinn and subtly, maybe imperceptibly drop a few hints that her presence was a hindrance to her studies, and that she really needed to finish her essay that was due next week. After all, they were on speaking terms now, weren't they?

But Rachel's tactful side loudly vetoed, arguing that she couldn't demand Quinn to pack up and leave. The library was a public place, there was no argument that she could bring forward without sounding ridiculous.

_'Excuse me? Your overwhelming attractiveness is very distracting and I really need to finish my essay on the Goblin Rebellions. _

The crease between her eyebrows deepened. Unacceptable.

Taking out her wand, she muttered a spell and touched the library books, which were messily spread out on the table in front of her yet had a strict order in Rachel's mind, with the tip of her wand. Pages fluttering shut like invisible hands were gently brushing them close, they slowly soared into the air and flew back to their respective shelves, tucking themselves inbetween other books. Satisfied at how good her new-learned spell worked, she packed away her quills and parchments. And when she ducked to rummage in her bag, she missed a pair of amazed hazel eyes watching her movements.

Standing up with a sigh, Rachel languidly grabbed her bag and wanted to leave the library without having to pass the quarter Veela on her way. She wasn't sure how she would react if she had to face the source of her dwindling interest to study. If she was going to receive only an 'Acceptable' on her essay, then Rachel knew she had a serious problem. She needed that 'Outstanding' in History of Magic or at least an 'Exceeds Expectations' to keep up with Lily Potter's grades.

An irritated sigh almost escaped Rachel's lips that were drawn to a straight line. Stupid Divination and stupid Care of Magical Creatures, her weakest subjects; they were pulling her average grade down. Especially the latter class with Hogwarts' groundkeeper Hagrid was a challenge for her usually balanced and rational mind that seemed to lose all balance and rationality once Blast-Ended Skrewts threatened to burn her robe and half of her body.

"It will be fun, they said," Rachel mockingly murmered to herself, unknowingly startling a first grader that passed her in the corridor leading to the Slytherin dorms. "An easy earned 'O' for feeding some animals, they said."

She was referring to her Slytherin friends Noah and Santana who had convinced her to take this class with them, talking her out of choosing Runes as her second elective. A bad decision that she deeply regretted and completely blamed on her friends, and since then she hadn't forgotten once to remind them of their bad influence on her every time they walked down the path to Hagrid's cabin together.

They had gone to their first lesson with an optimistic attitude, excitement even, but their eagerness to learn more about magical creatures had dissolved into thin air like Malfoy's school robe did when Fire Crabs had deemed the attention of the students' as too much and felt the need to defend themselves by shooting flames out of their ends. It just so happened that the ash-blond boy stood the nearest to them because he had wanted to prove his lack of impression towards the creatures and Hagrid, disliking him by default because his father had gotten hurt once in his lesson.

A small, gleeful smile loosened her lips and smoothed over her frown. Rachel heaved a sigh and all her temporary worries were forgotten, a relaxed look settling on her face.

Even if she only achieved an 'Acceptable' in Care of Magical Creatures, she still had great chances at surpassing Lily Potter's grades as long as she kept all the 'O's in her other subjects. The redhead might have a talent for understanding cross-bred and highly illegal creatures, but she was nowhere as good as Rachel in the core classes, taking Potions and Transfiguration for examples.

Rachel looked pleased with herself again and she confidently fixed her green-silver-striped tie. She wasn't only going to beat Lily on an educational level, she was about to march into a new territory where the other girl had had no worthy rival for a long time. But no longer no more, their grades were already too high to determine who was better, everything came down to extracurriculars to decide over status and what was more popular than Quidditch?

If Rachel managed to catch the Snitch before Lily Potter in their first match against each other, then she would not only bring victory to her house, but to herself, and the precious daughter of the Chosen One would be so crushed that she would never try to challenge the Slytherins ever again. Rachel felt like she was on an important mission that had her represent her house. And she was going to do it right.

Her first chance to prove it was her first Quidditch practice with the whole team in half an hour. And she needed to make an impression. People had been talking, stamping the decision to appoint her to the Slytherin Seeker as favouritism because of her friendship with the Quidditch Captain Santana Lopez. And because she had the newest Firebolt II, the best broom that was available at the moment, a big improvement compared to the last Firebolt generation. That meant, even if Rachel wasn't a good catcher, she would still be faster than someone without the same broom.

But Rachel scoffed at the thought, she didn't need the speed of her broom to be the faster Seeker. Her alert senses would be the winning key, she had to feel where the Snitch could be.

Winning the Quidditch cup this year was high on Rachel's list as it could bring so many chances for her. Maybe Professor Sylvester would finally honor her with a praising look once Headmistress McGonagall handed over the Quidditch Cup to her, maybe the few Slytherins from those last pure-blood families would finally accept her in their house – there were so many things that could improve, and Rachel was getting excited at the prospect.

She had to nail this practice.

–

She didn't nail it. Actually, she got nowhere close to it. Her friend Noah refused to use the word 'disaster' to describe their training, insisting that she just needed more time and practice, but Santana had no issue wording every scathing thought.

Everything started with the weather. It only took seconds for the dark clouds above the Quidditch field to turn a mild day into a stormy, rainy and windy mess. But that didn't prompt Santana to call off the practice, they had to be prepared for every kind of weather when they had their first match against Gryffindor.

Rachel had no experience with flying in the rain, she actually had little experience with flying at all, so she couldn't know how many physical factors were against her. Long story short, half of her team carried injuries from Bludger hits now as they had to keep her from falling off the broom, hardly able to dodge any attacks as they hoisted Rachel back onto her Firebolt again and again because she kept slipping off, the weight of her wet robe dragging her down.

When the torture was over, the Slytherin team was too exhausted and cranky to attack Rachel, so they just wordlessly left the field, eager to get back to the warm castle. Only the short brunette stayed behind, feeling too ashamed and terrified to go back to the Slytherin Dungeon immediately after the training. She decided to lie down on the wet grass of Quidditch field instead, maybe lie there for another few hundred years until the ground would absorb her.

"I almost assumed you were dead," an amused voice chuckled above Rachel.

"I have the overwhelming wish to be dead," came the dry reply from the unmoving girl who had her eyes closed.

Quinn started to feel bad for the girl who was lying on the muddy ground of the Quidditch field with all of her limbs spread out, still in her soaked Quidditch robe, her broom lying next to her, defeated. The blonde had seen the disastrous practice from the window in her cozy, warm Ravenclaw common room and she had flinched every time Rachel had been dangling from her broom, which had happened quite often.

When the torture was finally over, Quinn noticed how Rachel stayed behind instead of going back to the castle along with her fellow teammates. Seeing it as her chance to be with her alone, even if the other girl was in a wound up state, Quinn had quickly put on a robe and made her way towards the Quidditch field.

"Maybe save that wish for another time," Quinn lightly said and kneeled down with one leg next to Rachel's head. "Come on, you will get a cold if you don't change your clothes."

Rachel groaned and pouted, and Quinn found that puzzlingly endearing.

"I am a Prefect," Quinn reminded her, and though the brunette was still having her eyes closed, the blonde tapped her Prefect badge pinned to her robe. "I can deduct house points if you don't get up."

That made Rachel open her eyes. She had never lost points before and she didn't plan on ever risking that.

"You cannot do this, I have read every rule Hogwarts has ever set up and there is not one that forbids me to lie on the Quidditch field and wallow in self-pity."

Quinn couldn't contain her laughter that was a result from disbelief and awe. Rachel looked oddly pleased and didn't take the outburst of laughter as offensive, which clearly wasn't meant as such either.

"Fine, lying on the ground is not a good reason for me to deduct points," Quinn agreed and Rachel's pleased look increased in smugness, but the blonde continued, "but acting against the order of authorities is. And since the Prefect badge makes me kind of an authority here, you are hereby acting against my orders as an authority. Which I can punish by deducting points."

Rachel had slowly sat up during the short speech and her indignant expression made Quinn want to burst out laughing again. But she liked the challenge and she was not going to let herself ruin a good banter. Her friends Brittany and Tina were rarely in the mood to hypothetically fight with her; drawing out arguments that were surreal, discussing topics that were absurd, raging on about problems that were mundane – this was what Quinn needed right now. Someone to take her away from reality, someone who could keep Quinn on her toes by arguing with her over things that weren't real, weren't important and yet still had a meaning.

"What makes you think you are the only one entitled to deduct house points?" Rachel wore a challenging smirk. "I may not be wearing the Prefect badge right now, but I can assure you that your precious sapphires are not immune to me."

Quinn could tell her another thing of hers that wasn't immune to Rachel, but she figured it would be a better topic for later. Much later.

"Is that so?" Quinn bought herself time with the empty question, her eyes shortly drifting off to Rachel's triumphantly smiling lips. "I personally don't think that your conscience will let you deduct points from my house without a good reason."

Rachel raised one eyebrow. "But you think you can?"

The mischievous gleam in Quinn's eyes couldn't prepare Rachel for what was going to happen next. "Ten points off Slytherin."

A gasp escaped Rachel's mouth and she stared at Quinn in disbelief. "You take that back! Don't make me use the same childish method, I prefer not taking any points -"

"Another ten points off Slytherin for too much talking," Quinn seemed to draw great pleasure from this, uncontrollably giggling by now.

Rachel had told herself to calm down, she needed a different tactic. She wasn't going to resort to the same childish shenanigans that were amusing Quinn so much. She waited for Quinn to get down from her high, and though she was beautiful to watch when she was laughing, Rachel needed revenge. She cleared her throat and when the blonde expectantly grinned at her, she pounced. Her Quidditch robe was still soaked and muddy, everything about her was dirty and wet and that was how she smelled like, too, like a wet dog. That was what Rachel thought.

But Quinn, who suddenly found herself in a tight embrace, wrestled to the dirty ground, hadn't registered the shock and disgust about lying in the dirt yet. The only thing she could think about Rachel's smell was that she smelled amazing. And she was lying on top of her.

There was no sharp comeback or witty remark for this. With her arms slung around Rachel's petite upper body, Quinn got a handful of her Quidditch robe and she gripped it tightly, subconsciously pressing the girl closer to her if that was possible.

"I think you've got some dirt on you," Rachel innocently said, not noticing Quinn's tight grip on her and she laughed when she received a glare. "Now who needs to change her clothes?"

Quinn found herself torn in an inconvienent situation. She wanted to regain the upper hand and keep up the challenge, but she didn't want to let Rachel go.

When Quinn didn't immediately provide an answer, Rachel got afraid that she might have seriously wounded the quarter Veela and she quickly rolled off the girl, lying on her back in the dirt again. But this time, she wasn't alone.

"How about we both go change clothes?" Rachel quietly suggested, suddenly feeling insecure when confronted with Quinn's silence. The blonde had never failed to shoot back something witty.

Maybe she had taken it too far. Deducting house points was one thing, you could always give them back, but she had just pounced on the unsuspecting girl and made her entire robe dirty. Pushing someone into the dirt was more personal and the more Rachel thought about it, she guessed she herself would be very offended if someone tackled her to the ground and ruined her clothes.

"I'm so sorry, we were just having fun and I ruined it," Rachel lowly apologized, not able to look to the side, staring at the darkening sky instead. "Fate is against me today. I do not know what I have done wrong."

Rachel didn't see Quinn shyly gazing at her, smiling at her in amusement. She let her continue her ramble.

"I've been given the chance to excel at Quidditch and show everyone that I am more than just book-smart, but I blew it. Or rather, the weather blew me off the broom. And now I've been given the chance of forming a friendship with someone really amazing and I ruined it again."

Quinn propped herself up on one elbow, facing Rachel with an intrigued and flattered expression. "You think I am amazing?"

Rachel blinked unsurely. "Do I look like I am thinking otherwise?"

"That is not the answer I expected, but charming nonetheless," Quinn breathed with a chuckle. "You have a way with words."

The brunette cheekily grinned. "So I have been told, but I believe they rather meant the quantity of my words usage."

There was an inexplicable tenderness in Quinn's eyes when Rachel gazed up at her, making the Slytherin feel like they had skipped a few steps in their budding friendship. Because there was no reason why the quarter Veela would look at her like that, they hardly knew each other and nothing they had said until now had had any substance. It had been mostly silly banter.

"I just don't understand," Quinn muttered, suddenly reaching out with one hand to touch the green Quidditch robe that Rachel was wearing. "Why did you choose to be in Slytherin? You are as brave as a Gryffindor, smarter than a lot of Ravenclaws and at least as loyal and a good friend as a Hufflepuff, but yet you chose to be in Slytherin."

Rachel looked down on Quinn's hand that was playing with her robe. "I am aware of the reputation that the Slytherin house holds and you are not the first one to tell me that I might have made the wrong decision. But I don't believe in these prejudices. Slytherin is not some kind of black sheep in the Hogwarts family, it's just misunderstood because Voldemort tainted the picture."

When Quinn didn't look convinced, Rachel further elaborated, "If only dark wizards and witches came out of Slytherin, then why doesn't Hogwarts simply abolish that house and only maintain three? The purpose of sorting the students into houses is not seeing whether they are dark or not, but according to their core values."

"But what was the reason you decided for Slytherin?" Quinn probed. "I know you have nothing against the Slytherins, but what made you want to be one yourself?"

Turning her head away, Rachel hesitated to answer that. She was afraid of sounding childish, obnoxious, unreasonable. She cared greatly about what Quinn thought of her.

"I...I wanted to be different, wanted to prove everyone wrong," Rachel wistfully said. She let out a humorless, short laugh. "It's all I ever think about, this is what my whole life is actually about. Proving myself to people who couldn't care less. I was tired of people taking me for a Know-it-all and if I had gotten into Ravenclaw, it would've only confirmed everything they believed in, but I didn't want to grant them that satisfaction. I wanted to be more than that."

She shot Quinn an apologetic look. "This is not me belittling your house, I'm sorry, I-"

"No," the blonde softly murmured. "I understand where you come from. I am familiar with the concept of wanting to be more than just what I'm known for."

Rachel sat up and hugged herself around the waist. "I am sorry, here I am moaning about my little problems when you obviously have a lot more on your plate. Whenever I see you, I want to apologize on behalf of the Slytherin boys."

"No, no, it's fine," Quinn quickly said and laid one calm hand on Rachel's forearm. "This is not a competition of who has the bigger problem because all of them matter. I've actually learned a lot about you by hearing this."

"Really?" Rachel's expression was sceptical. "I think I sounded rather whiny."

Quinn shook her head with a smile. "Well, I think you sounded like someone who has the traits of every house combined and are just confused about where you belong to. You chose the unconventional way because you refused to be placed into a stereotype."

"When you put it this way, I sound more interesting than I really am," Rachel said with a blush. Quinn laughed at the cute reaction and teasingly nudged the other girl's shoulder.

"You are," she said, "and I'm not the only one who thinks that."

"I will not try to downplay this compliment, I will not try to downplay this compliment, no, I will not," Rachel muttered to herself, still blushing, but smiling so wide that her cheeks looked like they were about to split.

Pleased and content that everything was going so smooth between them, Quinn leaned forward in a burst of confidence that made her heart pump faster. She wasn't sure if Rachel had caught on that it was not only a friendship she wanted to build up with her. If there were any doubts, then the quarter Veela had to rectify them now before she never got further than the status of being a friend. She was to a hundred percent sure that Rachel could be the perfect mate; she was unaffected by the thrall, she saw her for who she was, she could keep up with Quinn in conversations without drooling over her, and that was a nice change.

The small percentage of Veela-blood running through her veins agreed with her, already beginning to form possessive tendencies towards the brunette girl. It was the feral side of her, the untamed Veela that had to mark its territory. Quinn prayed to Merlin that she could keep the Veela inside of her in control, long enough to explain her heritage to Rachel so she wouldn't run off scared.

Rachel felt her brain go numb when Quinn's flawless face was suddenly only inches away. Maybe the pull, the desire to close the distance, the urge to lean in and kiss her was evoked by the thrall that had created a fog in Rachel's head. Was this how most of the boys felt when Quinn was nearby? Was this how it felt like to be a helpless victim to the charms of a Veela?

"Students on the Quidditch field at this time?" a stern voice boomed behind them and startled them, making them lean away from each other as if they had been caught during something inappropriate. "What are you doing, sneaking around?"

Both Quinn and Rachel turned around, looking up to Madam Beiste with sheepish looks. They quickly shuffled to their feet and stood unsure in front of the flying instructor and Quidditch referee.

"You know that I have to give you detention unless there's a good reason," Beiste sighed and she glanced at her watch. "Curfew for outside is one hour earlier than inside the castle, nothing new, and the last scheduled Quidditch practice was over one hour ago. So what's your excuse?"

Rachel stepped forward before Quinn could come up with one. "Madam Beiste, I accept the detention as I have violated the rules, but I ask you not to pull Quinn into this. She is a Prefect and she saw me hanging around the field, so she came down here to bring me back to the castle, but I refused to. It's my fault that I kept her late, she was just fulfilling her duty as a Prefect."

Beiste sceptically eyed Rachel before scrutinizing Quinn, who was too surprised to look serious and rather focused on gazing at the brunette with wide eyes. Beiste heaved a sigh. "Alright. Name?"

"Rachel Berry."

"You'll receive a letter tomorrow during breakfast that will inform you about time and date of the detention. And now off you go, it's too dark for you to be still here."

Beiste marched off, shaking her head. Always the good ones were the troublemakers. That Berry girl was a good kid, she would be the type of person to throw herself in front of a friend to take a curse. The flying instructor decided she was going to go easy on her and not assign her to Professor Sylvester for detention.

"You really shouldn't have done that," Quinn immediately burst out, apologetic and ashamed that she had let Rachel do this. But the brunette waved her off and smiled. "It was true, you came down here with the intention of bringing me back to the castle, but it is my fault that I prolonged our stay here. It's fine, I don't think that Madam Beiste will hand me over to a strict Professor."

Quinn still felt bad and stayed silent the whole way back to the castle. There had to be a way where she could make it up to Rachel.

"I need to go this way," Rachel quietly broke the silence and nodded to the corridor that would lead her to the Slytherin Dungeon. They had to part at the stairs as the Ravenclaw common room was located at the top of a spiral staircase on the west side.

"I'm so sorry," Quinn said again, and Rachel looked about to interrupt her, but the blonde put up one hand to stop her and continued, "and I will make it up to you right after your detention, if that is alright with you? I found a way to access the Astronomy Tower."

Rachel's face instantly brightened and she whispered in awe, "You did? But it's always locked except for Astronomy lessons around midnight!"

Quinn smiled mysteriously and winked. "You will see. Come to me after dentention and I will show you."

The brunette girl was left speechless. Whether she was astonished at how Quinn could've gotten access to the tower or rather breathless because of the suggestive wink, she didn't know. But she had always been fascinated with stars and the night sky, and Quinn was going to fulfill her wish about coming closer to the stars, which her fathers had tried as well but without as much success.

"Thank you so much," Rachel breathed, grinning broadly, already giddy in anticipation.

"No, I thank you for saving me," Quinn retorted, happy that she could provide Rachel with something interesting. She was looking forward to spending more time with her, alone. And next time she hoped there would be no teacher to interrupt her advances. Because she couldn't wait to feel Rachel's lips on hers and the Veela inside of her was getting impatient.

* * *

"Would you stop staring, Zabini," she sighed, wrinkling her nose in disgust. The boy sitting opposite of her had been staring over his shoulder at the Ravenclaw table for two minutes straight now, his soup-filled spoon still raised in mid-air, vainly waiting to be consumed. He showed no signs of reaction, the back of his head still turned to Rachel.

The brunette felt offended on Quinn's behalf. Without much deliberation, she pulled out her wand and muttered an incantation under her breath, watching with satisfaction as Zabini's soup bowl slowly lifted up and soared above his head. Rachel smirked and flicked her wand.

"Bloody hell!" the boy exclaimed in uproar and he shot up from the bench, franticly wiping at his eyes because soup was dripping down his face and draining parts of his robe around the neck. "Which troll did that!"

Her wand already hidden, Rachel merely nodded to another boy who had his focus set on the Ravenclaw table and had not yet noticed the commotion next to him.

"You bloody git, Flint!"

Rachel thought she had done quite a good job. Not only did she get two leering boys to stop their filthy actions, but their fight pulled the attention of everyone in the Great Hall towards them and for once, Quinn Fabray wasn't being strictly watched anymore.

Before things could get ugly though, Rachel decided to step in before the teachers had to; she was a Prefect after all and she couldn't rely on Malfoy to handle the situation as Zabini and Flint were his friends. Besides the old friendship between their traditional pure-blood families, the pale boy wouldn't want to get into any kind of confrontation despite his superior manner suggesting otherwise.

With a swift flick of her wand, she had the two fighting boys separated by an invisible force that worked like a shield between them.

"We do not want Professor Sylvester to settle this fight, do we?" Rachel rhetorically asked. The boys instantly stopped fighting the invisible barrier between them, apprehensively turning around to glance at the teachers' table. Luckily for them, Sylvester was engrossed in vigorously slicing up her beef steak.

"Now please sit down and continue your meal," Rachel calmly ordered and she smiled in satisfaction when the boys obediently did as she said. Muttering another spell, Zabini's robe was dry again and so was his hair.

"Thanks," he sullenly said.

When the Slytherin girl tucked in her wand, she missed a pair of glinting hazel eyes roving over her face in admirance.

–

"It was her."

"I'm sorry?" Quinn absently asked as she watched like the rest of the Great Hall how two Slytherins were wrestling with each other, heads and limbs getting locked or twisted.

Tina Cohen-Chang frowned at her distracted friend. "Didn't you see it? It was Rachel Berry. She jinxed the soup bowl so it would dump its content onto Zabini."

Unconvinced, Quinn slowly shook her head and stated, "I don't peg her as someone who would pull immature pranks."

"It wasn't a prank," and the impatient tone in Tina's usually soft voice surprised Quinn. "It amazes me how you could've missed that though you look at her like all the time."

The blonde put down her cutlery in indignance. "I do not look at her all the time, she just happens to be in my line of sight whenever I look up."

Tina blankly stared at her. "You just basically stated the same thing."

"I'm not-"

"Anyway," Tina interrupted her attempt at denial, "it was not a prank. I don't think so. Zabini was staring at you and I think she tried to stop him that way, and it was quite effective. I mean, she got Flint to stop, too, so it must mean something, right?"

"She did?" Quinn asked in wonder and in a familiar, almost automatic motion, she looked up to glance at the Slytherin table again. But the two fighting boys were covering Rachel's petite frame sitting at the table.

"Isn't Rachel a Prefect? Shouldn't she try to stop them to avoid points getting deducted from her house?"

And just seconds after Tina had uttered her question, the grappling boys got pulled away by invisible hands, looking like mismatched magnet pieces that repelled each other. No matter how much they struggled to get to the other, they couldn't fight the magical barrier between them that held them away at an arm's length.

And in the space between the boys, Quinn finally saw Rachel's unimpressed face talking to them and whatever she had said, they suddenly lost interest in fighting each other.

"Wow," Tina muttered next to her and Quinn could only agree when they witnessed two strong-built boys obeyingly sitting down again. And from one second to the next, the soup-drained boy was dry again.

The Great Hall was now buzzing with gossip, everyone discussing about the short fight and the reason behind it as not all of them had seen the soup bowl being emptied above Zabini's head.

For some reason, Quinn suddenly felt something unfamiliar but incredibly freeing. She didn't feel being watched anymore. People had their minds elsewhere, and maybe this wasn't going to last long, but she enjoyed every second of it. As she looked around, she met no glazed over eyes raking over her face and body. No, those eyes were curiously staring at the Slytherin table now, leaving her alone for once.

"You really think she did that to stop them staring at me?" Quinn asked Tina and cleared her throat with great difficulty. She didn't know where the sudden dryness came.

Her friend tonelessly hummed as she reached for a portion of chocolate pudding.

Quinn wasn't hungry anymore. Well, not hungry for food.

* * *

"Berry?"

"Hm."

"You're still a Prefect, right?"

"Hm."

"Maybe you should confiscate the fanged frisbee before it cuts off Puckerman's hand."

"He knows what he's doing."

"No, he doesn't, and he needs his hand when we're flying against the pussycats in a few days."

Rachel and Santana sat in their regular seats, boredly watching Puckerman and a fellow Slytherin playing frisbee across the common room with a fanged one that is illegal in Hogwarts, but that hadn't stopped them from purchasing it at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

"Tell Malfoy to do it," Rachel absently muttered.

"Okay, I know some shit is up, and I've been kind enough to ignore it for five seconds," Santana started, impatiently gazing at Rachel. "If this is about yesterday's practice, then I'm sorry. You know you can't take shit from me too personal."

"I know this and I haven't taken it personal," Rachel grumbled. She sighed and closed her eyes. "I've got detention with Hagrid on Saturday evening, and I already fear what I have to do in the Forbidden Forest."

Santana sat up straight at this, a smirk spreading across her face. "No way, you got detention? Let mama hear for what?"

"I stayed at the Quidditch field past curfew. I forgot it began one hour earlier than in Hogwarts."

Santana looked disappointed. "That's boring. You did nothing bad or embarrassing that I can make fun of?"

Rachel quickly shook her head, but Noah walked past them saying with a knowing grin, "She's lying, Santana, I saw her getting pretty cozy with Hogwarts' finest piece of ass, Quinn Fabray. Bless Merlin that I forgot my wand in the locker room."

"He's lying," Rachel immediately exclaimed, "we were not 'getting cozy' as he puts it."

The additional piece of information did little to stop a broad smirk settling on Santana's face, her smug expression upsetting Rachel. She looked like she had just found out juicy gossip material.

"So you were with her then. I totally knew something was going on between the two of you. Everybody stares at her except for you, because no, you little Miss Perfect gets the honor of being stared at by her."

"Don't be ridiculous, she doesn't stare," Rachel uncomfortably shifted in her seat. "And we are friends now, so it isn't strange."

Santana regarded her with a deadpanned expression and Rachel gave in. "Maybe it is a little strange, but there is a reasonable explanation for this."

"Yeah," Santana agreed, "as in, she wants to get in your pants."

"I will not listen to this," Rachel exasperatedly said and stood up, intending on retreating to her dorm. "I will not let you lessen the value of my new friendship."

Santana rolled her eyes and groaned, "Girl, nobody's talking about lessening value and shit, I'm just stating the truth. She could have anyone she wanted, literally, because she's a freaking Veela, but she never lets anyone besides my girlfriend and that Chang girl near her. So if she's reaching out to you, then you must have something she wants. And I think that's the whole of you."

Rachel was already by the stairs leading to her dorm, but she had still heard all of it and despite not replying to Santana's speculations, she couldn't stop thinking about it for the rest of the night.

* * *

Walking down the path to Hagrid's cabin had always been an unpleasant trip for Rachel, but this time, it was especially gruesome. It was already dark and chilly, and the only thing that illuminated the road was her wand. She could already hear various animals howling in the Forbidden Forest, and she was certain that she would join them at some point.

She shuddered at the thought. She would've chosen any other teacher but Hagrid, she would've even preferred Professor Sylvester's detention methods over being eaten by Acromantulas. But she couldn't back out now, she had already arrived at Hagrid's cabin and she wasn't alone.

"Potter?" Rachel hissed, irritated in an instant.

Lily Potter gracefully turned around on her heels and regarded Rachel with a surprised look. "What are you doing here?"

"Just visiting my favorite teacher and good ol' friend, you know, thought we could discuss unicorns over a cup of tea," Rachel sarcastically replied, though she shot an insecure look behind her in case the giant teacher was around.

"Don't make fun of him," Lily angrily said and took one step closer to Rachel. "He's a better person than you will ever be."

Rachel was apprehensive of shooting something venomous back because they stood right in front of Hagrid's cabin, and he might burst out anytime or appear round the corner.

"You can't make that statement without knowing me," she countered instead.

"And you don't know Hagrid, yet you still judge him," Lily easily said.

Rachel bit her bottom lip before she sighed. "I'm not judging him, I just don't agree with his teaching methods. Blast-Ended Skrewts may be like cats to you, but they are like dragons to me. And that is not fair, it is not something I can learn or master over time. I either burn to ashes on the spot or have a new house pet."

That argument seemed to placate Lily as her expression softened. "I don't understand it myself," she quietly admitted, "they just accept me."

"Maybe you're the Chosen One," Rachel managed to joke, and for the first time since their rivalry began, they both laughed amicably.

"Ah, havin' a good laugh without me, yeh two."

Hagrid appeared out of the shadows of his cabin and held a huge crossbow that could defeat an enemy simply by throwing it upon him. "Lily? Yeh Potters just can' stay out o' trouble, eh? What is it this time?"

The redhead sheepishly grinned and ducked her head. "I accidentally transformed Hudson into a toad."

Rachel stifled a laugh and eyed Lily with new-found appreciation.

"Can' be too accidental if yer here now," Hagrid good-naturedly chuckled and he turned to Rachel. His expression wasn't as warm as it was towards Lily, but Rachel had to credit him for trying. "An' yeh?"

"Stayed past curfew."

"Good, good," Hagrid muttered, though Rachel didn't see how anything in her situation was good right now. "I'm feelin' tired tonight, so we won' be goin' inter the Forbidden Forest. Yer task is sortin' out Flobberworms fer me next class and collect some mucus fer the Potion's teacher. Jus' one hour o' work I guess."

And he had been true to his words, it was the shortest detention Rachel had ever gotten, not that she had many to compare it to. Before she could complain about how boring Flobberworms were, she was already on her way back to the castle with Lily walking next to her.

"Heard you're Seeker now," Lily offhandedly remarked as they leisurely walked the curvy path up to the school. "I've got the same position on my team, what a coincidence that we'll be playing against each other."

Rachel frowned. She had actually enjoyed the short time she had spent with her, and she didn't really want to go into a topic where their rivalry would come up again.

"They were desperate to find a Seeker," Rachel muttered. "And I can't say no when people depend on me."

Lily rolled her eyes and blew up her cheeks. "Yup, still same old conceited Slytherin."

"Do we really have to fight again?" Rachel tiredly asked and the other girl shrugged.

"Sorry, old habit. A true Slytherin would've already fought me."

Feet coming to a halt, Rachel had stopped walking and she stared at Lily with the same annoyance that she had felt when she had first seen her this evening. "What is that supposed to mean? Why is everyone picking on my house?"

Lily shrugged again and continued walking, and Rachel had no choice but to follow her if she wanted answers.

"Am I that despicable just because I'm a Slytherin?" she asked in exasperation.

There was no reply and Rachel grimly trailed behind Lily, watching her vibrant red hair reflecting the moonlight. She stared at it for most of the time during their walk up there, they were already at the bottom of the stairs in the entrance hall of Hogwarts, when Lily suddenly stopped and turned around, only to have Rachel crash into her because she wasn't paying attention.

"You are not despicable because you are a Slytherin," Lily lowly said, finally answering Rachel's question. "Actually, you are not despicable at all."

Rachel's eyebrows rose in confusion, but she didn't interrupt.

"Because actually, you are nothing like what Slytherins are supposed to be, you are nothing like Malfoy, and it confuses me, because the Sorting Hat can't be wrong. Yet you wear green instead of the other three colors that could fit you better."

Rachel had the feeling that she would never get a rest when it came to defending her right placement in the right house. She wanted to tell Lily to find other problems to worry about than to cling on to stereotypes, but she was already rambling.

"You're not a pure-blood, you don't think that students of other houses are lesser than you, you believe in fairness and equality and acceptance - you don't have one single sly vein inside of you! Tell me, what part of you am I supposed to hate? Everyone keeps telling me to score better than you because you're a Slytherin, and they can't have a Slytherin as the best student of the year, but I don't understand why they're using me," she ranted with a passion that had Rachel dumbfounded.

She had never known that. She couldn't have known that.

"Oh, I lied, I actually know why _I_ have to be the one to beat you - I'm_ Lily Potter_," she mockingly said, talking herself into rage. "It's basically stated in my last name that I have to be hero of my house, that I have to be the one to compete with you." She took a deep breath and said in a lower voice, "To hell with James and his ideology of Gryffindor pride, should've listened to Rose and just leave you be."

Stunned speechless, Rachel gazed at Lily like they had never met before. The face that she used to despise because it would mock her with no reason, it suddenly didn't seem as harsh as before.

She wasn't able to pinpoint her thoughts on this. Up to now in her sixth year, beginning from the third, they had been in a constant competition and they had never left out opportunities to try and outdo the other. But if their rivalry was based on a lie, if everything was based on something that Lily hadn't even wanted in the first place, then Rachel felt like she had been the only one to take this serious. She felt stupid and dumb for being strung along in race that was only important to outsiders, but not to herself and Lily.

"So...you never hated me?" Rachel stuttered. Everything she used to believe in was shattered now. All those times where Lily had challenged her to be better than her, mocking her with those words, 'You won't back out, right, that would be very Slytherin of you', they had meant nothing.

"Hated you?" Lily let out a short laugh and ran a hand through her wavy hair that was flowing past her shoulders. "There is nothing about you to hate, and it confuses me why I am supposed to beat you in everything we have in common when I don't want that, when I actually want to -"

And she stopped in the middle of her sentence, looking like she had said too much.

"When you actually want to do what?" Rachel probed, hoping that she meant to start a friendship and to bury the competing nature of their relationship.

A second passed, nothing came and Rachel resigned from getting an answer; she was prepared to encouragingly smile and offer her friendship, prepared to bid goodnight, prepared for everything but warm lips on hers and hands cupping her cheeks.

That didn't feel like a friendship offering. And it certainly didn't look like one either from the perspective of a person standing on top of the stairs.


	3. Chapter 3

**Harry Potter Crossover**

**Pairing: Faberry**

**Setting: Postwar era, Hogwarts.**

**Summary: ** Her Veela heritage has both been a blessing and a curse for Quinn Fabray in her entire life. Her unearthly beauty and irresistible thrall has always gotten her what she wanted, yet kept her away from what she needed – genuine love.

**Disclaimer:** Bless JK Rowling. And to some extent, Glee for their characters. But only their characters.

* * *

Quinn didn't think that she had ever felt this stupid, naïve and angry. She had aimed at a goal too far, believing she could hit it with both eyes closed, but she hadn't counted on headwind to torpedo her plans. She hadn't banked on one Lily Potter, and she couldn't determine which feeling was the strongest right now.

Sometimes the hurt would dominate, because she had been foolish enough to believe that Rachel was single and would simply return her feelings, and everything would work out for her like in those fairytales. Other times the furious Veela inside of her would gain the upper hand and demand Quinn's human side to take action, to break the couple apart and claim Rachel for herself.

But the Veela blood was weak, not enough to make Quinn act out on its impulses, not even remotely enough to transform in rage, which the blonde was thankful for. She didn't even think that she could completely transform, the farthest she had ever gotten at being a Harpies similar monster were pointy teeth and elongated fingernails that resembled bird claws.

Quinn prayed to Merlin that she would never have to show anyone the ugly side of being a Veela, even if she was tempted to let it out only once to scare someone particular. But she couldn't allow that to happen, people would be reminded why Veelas had not been recognized as humans for a long time before Hermione Granger got through a law that granted them equal status with wizards and witches. It had been a long and difficult process, Quinn remembered how her parents and other families of Veela heritage had daily tracked the news, nervously watching and reading how the legendary woman of the Golden Trio fought for their rights.

After the day the Department of Magical Law Enforcement had finally agreed to Granger's bill, there had been a big feast, where all the Veela families had been invited to France to celebrate with the oldest and most powerful family of Veela blood, the Delacours.

Quinn hadn't understood all of it back then, she had always assumed that they were no different from the wizarding world, that they weren't being discriminated against. After all, they had been allowed to marry, to vote and pursue education and jobs, but there had been a lot of inequality concerning salaries, taxes and adoption rights, where people with Veela heritage had always drawn the shorter straw.

And she was not going to give the envious female population of Hogwarts more reasons to hate her. A lot of people liked to overlook the fact that she wasn't completely human because they were too infatuated with her looks to care, but unaffected people felt threatened by her. She couldn't imagine what it would be like if people started to see her as an uncontrollable monster led by emotions.

Quinn couldn't risk it. Not because she cared about what everyone thought; the boys would continue to drool over her and the girls already hated her, so it would make no difference; but because she couldn't risk losing Rachel completely. Even if she stood no chance, she didn't want to lose their friendship. And maybe that thing with Potter wouldn't last for long, maybe nothing was lost yet.

But the misery that Quinn felt wasn't going away, no calming thought could release the tight grip on her aching heart. She still felt like someone was pressing against her lungs everytime the picture of Rachel's mouth attached to Lily's flashed before her eyes. It robbed her breath, it burned in the pit of her stomach, it made her feel sick. She wanted to erase that terrible scene from her mind and she had seriously considered asking Tina to perform the Memory Charm on her. But she knew her friend wouldn't dare to mess with her memories in case something went wrong, and there was no other one that Quinn would've trusted with that task.

She was hurt, she was angry, but she wasn't irrational or broken. There were no tears of bitterness and there were no sobs of anguish, only dryness in her throat. She blamed the Veela inside of her for reacting so strongly. Her relationship with Rachel was completely undefined, they were in no way committed to each other which permitted Rachel to do as she pleased with whomever she wanted. But the possessive tendencies were starting to show, they were already starting to bind her to Rachel. Quinn wanted to scream and run away from the heritage she was blessed and cursed with, she didn't sign up for a life of no privacy yet complete isolation.

She certainly didn't sign herself up for getting hurt so easily. It was new to her. She had managed to protect herself from every kind of sweet-talker and charmer, never letting them close enough to feel even bothered when they turned out to be fake because she had been prepared. But Rachel hadn't even tried to charm or sweet-talk her way into her life, and she had managed to get to Quinn more than anyone had ever had.

Quinn swore to Merlin, if Rachel was not going to be her mate, then she was going to be her death.

* * *

It wasn't until the third book that got noisily slammed down onto the common room table when Santana finally looked up from her homework and shot an annoyed look at Rachel, who seemed to have come back from her detention in a very foul mood.

"Look, whatever disgusting thing that hairy giant made you do in the Forbidden Forest, get over it, at least you're still alive," Santana grunted and wanted to turn back to her parchment, but Rachel responded by forcefully putting another book onto the stack. The tip of Santana's quill slipped away at the tremor and she accidentally crossed out her previously written word.

"Okay enough!" Santana angrily exclaimed and she shot up from her seat, dropping her quill in anger. "I swear to Merlin's old and wrinkled balls, if you don't stop right now, I will stupefy the shit out of you!"

Rachel looked actually afraid for one second before her expression turned indifferent again. "Are you not interested in my story so you can make fun of me?"

That calmed Santana down in an instant. She deeply breathed through her nose and sat down again, pulling out her wand to erase the mess on her parchment. "It better be a good one," she growled as she dipped her quill into the ink and rewrote her sentence.

"Oh, I am certain that this will amuse you to no end," Rachel bitterly said and she plopped down onto the cushioned seat next Santana's. "Lily kissed me."

Santana poked a hole through the parchment when her quill slid away under the sudden pressure of her hand. Completely disregarding her torn homework, she faced Rachel with disbelieving eyes, waiting to be corrected in what she had heard.

But the correction never came, only the confirmation. "Lily Potter kissed me," Rachel repeated in a whisper, she herself was still in shock about this.

Santana shoved her homework away and turned her whole attention on Rachel. She reached out and touched her forehead, then her cheeks and hands. "You sure you weren't bitten by some animal and now are having hallucinations, because you gotta tell me if shit's going down, like, I've gotta be prepared if you're gonna turn into a werewolf -"

"No, it's not a hallucination, not a dream, but frighteningly real," Rachel said while shaking her head, getting confused. "We weren't even in the forest, everything happened after, we were already in Hogwarts, and – and she started saying things – and I didn't understand things, but she kept talking and then she wasn't talking anymore, and then...she kissed me."

Santana scrunched up her face. "This sounds fucked up."

Though Rachel didn't agree with her friend's choice of words, it was exactly how she thought as well.

"Did you kiss her back?"

Rachel indignantly replied, "Of course not, she practically forced herself on me and I am not someone for these kind of surprises. I prefer it if it's mutual, thank you very much."

But even if she had wanted to react, it would've been too late. As fast as Lily had clung on to her, as fast had she detached herself from her and all Rachel had managed to catch a glimpse of were the many expressions on the redhead's face. Shock, realization, horror and embarrassment, there were only so many emotions that Rachel could read without her own head bursting from overdrive.

The girl had run off without another word, and the first thought that had crossed Rachel's mind was that fleeing was not very Gryffindor of her.

Despite the shock sitting deep in her bones, she had remembered Quinn's offer to go up to the Astronomy Tower with her after her detention, and she had decided to ignore what had happened few minutes ago in favor of spending some time with the quarter Veela. But when Rachel had arrived at the door with the bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle, there had been no Quinn waiting outside for her. Instead, a rather unfriendly looking Tina Cohen-Chang had come out and informed her that her friend wasn't feeling well, and that their meeting had to be postponed.

That was the reason why she had gone back to the Slytherin common room in a decidedly bad mood. Seeing Quinn Fabray at the end of a day was like seeing the light at the end of a tunnel, and Rachel had been looking forward to that. But that privilege was taken from her and now she was grumpy enough to risk Santana making fun of her for the rest of her life. She just really needed someone to talk to.

"Okay, just wanna make sure," Santana spoke up after a while, "you think she did it 'cause she likes you?"

Rachel warily stared at Santana. "What are you trying to imply? Why else would someone want to kiss someone?"

"Oh, dunno, maybe she's being a lying bitch," Santana said, shrugging her shoulder. "Trying to mess with your head before the Quidditch game, trying to get you to go easy on her. Girl, I've seen people do worse for a win."

But Rachel shook her head, completely sure when she stated, "No, I can assure that it is certainly not faked. Besides, I can't imagine her to hit that low, the Gryffindors pride themselves too much on fairness."

"You're right, that's definitely something that Puckerman or I would rather do," murmered Santana and Rachel rolled her eyes. No wonder she had a hard time defending her house when even her friends were too happy to fulfill the stereotype and confirm everyone else in their prejudices. But she guessed they just didn't care.

"Okay, then question number two," Santana continued and an unsettling smirk graced her features. "Though Potter is a pain in the ass and acts like she has to continue the title of her dad, we all got to admit that she's easy on the eyes. If given the chance, would you show her real magic that involves no wand and spells?"

And Santana suggestively wiggled with her eyebrows.

Rachel covered her face with her hands. "Santana, please," her muffled voice pleaded. "I just want to forget this. I'll talk to her as soon as possible and sort everything out."

"Hold on there," Santana suddenly said, sounding like she had an epiphany, which made Rachel look up. "You know what? You're right, talk to her, sort everything out and become her best buddy. And maybe leave out the tiny, little fact that you're not interested."

"What?" Rachel hissed, having understood immediately, but not wanting to believe it.

Santana didn't let her friend's disagreeing tone deter her, she smirkingly continued, "You can't break her heart right before the important Quidditch match, now can you? You can't tell her that you felt nothing or she would be too crushed to play, and the Gryffindors will blame us for playing unfair. Rachel, think about it."

"But, but," Rachel stuttered, getting angrier by the second. "It makes no sense, if I lead her on and she finds out, it will be worse than telling her right away."

"Or she doesn't find out until after the Quidditch tournament," Santana calmly said and Rachel glared at her.

"You're lying and you know it," she quietly said. "You want me to raise her hope so it will break her harder when she finds it out from you right before the game. But I will not do this, I can't believe that you would make me do this. All this for a Quidditch match."

"It's not just a Quidditch match," Santana got loud and emotional as she usually did when it came to Quidditch, "it's about taking a stand against the oppression that's going on."

That was where Rachel stopped following her. "Oppression?"

Santana sighed and shook her head. "You experience it daily, yet you don't notice?"

She absently placed her hand over her Slytherin badge that was sewed to her robe. "Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff - everyone's shitting on our house because hey, it's alright, it's what their parents have done before them, it's what everybody else in the past has done, because Slytherin is so bad and everybody in it is so sick and dark and also a crazy Voldemort fan."

"But they're wrong," Rachel whispered weakly and Santana gravely nodded and hissed, "Exactly, damn right they're fucking wrong. Not even Malfoy is evil, though he pretends to be otherwise, none of those pure-blood kids are dark, just fucking arrogant. And that's something different, because I sure as hell can name you at least dozens of arrogant shits from Gryffindor."

Rachel sighed, and when Santana sensed that she was about to give in, she asked, "You see now why it's more than just a Quidditch game? It's a middle finger to the world. We will stay top dogs even if we're hated most. That's why we need to win, to show them that we can cope with their hate."

Clearing her throat, the shorter brunette finally said, "I understand it now. And I will do my best to bring Slytherin to victory – but I will do it fair and without dirty mind games, and that's the end of the discussion, Santana."

* * *

"You need to talk to her," Tina quietly repeated, talking to deaf ears.

"I told you, there's nothing to talk about," Quinn snippily said, "I will only seem pathetic if I inquire about their relationship. And can we please stop talking about this, this is not the right place."

They were waiting with another bunch of Ravenclaws for their Defense Against the Dark Arts class that they shared with the Gryffindors, to Quinn's utter displeasure. It hadn't bothered her before, the Ravenclaws actually got along fine with the Gryffindors, but since the whole Rachel-Lily incident, she wasn't keen on sharing a class with someone she wanted to put curses on.

Her friend had been endlessly nagging her to initiate a conversation with Rachel, adamantly insisting that she had to be sure of what was going on between her and Lily. Because according to Tina, there was no way that they were dating or the whole student body of Hogwarts would already be gossiping about it.

Though Quinn admitted that she had a point, she was still unwilling to embarrass herself further. There was not a single tactful way on how she could approach Rachel with that topic.

_Excuse me, I was wondering how serious your relationship with Lily Potter is?_

"The Gryffindors are coming," Tina pointed out to Quinn and she turned around. "But why are they so quiet?"

The usually noisy bunch of Gryffindors were marching in awkward silence and it wasn't until Quinn spotted the woman walking behind them that she understood. It was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Cassandra July, a witch known for her unconventional teaching methods that brought her students to their limits, but they were very effective in training them. She was an intimidating woman who had been a Slytherin in her Hogwarts days. Her attractive features were hardened by a constant malicious smirk, and no student dared to stand up to her when she was in a foul mood, which seemed to be more often than not.

"Move aside," she merely sighed as she neared the door to the classroom, and everyone hastened to get out of her way, jumping away in fear. She liked deducting points for everything that remotely annoyed her and there was no lesson without losing at least thirty points.

Professor July was probably the youngest among the Hogwarts teachers, but that didn't mean anything as she was one of the most feared and respected. Tapping her classroom door with her cane that she always seemed to carry around, she entered the room first without looking behind or telling her students to follow. They automatically trailed behind her in an organized line.

Quinn liked most of her classes and saying she was a good student was an understatement, but she just couldn't warm up to Defense Against the Dark Arts. And not because she didn't like learning spells or counter-spells, but because she never knew where she stood with Professor July. She could be as good as she wanted, she could disarm as many people as she wanted with just one Expelliarmus Charm, her teacher would still not be impressed or reward her with house points. Quite the contrary, if Quinn didn't manage to build her Protego shield strong enough to last at least five attacks of Petrificus Totalus, then Ravenclaw would lose ten points.

"Today's lesson," Professor July boredly announced while she swung her cane, "is about practicing nonverbal spells. Without a wand. If you did your homework and read the chapters I assigned to you, then it should be no problem to go right into practice."

No student dared to whisper to their neighbor or loudly protest, but a look around the classroom confirmed what Quinn was feeling herself; uneasiness. She had read the pages and even gone through extra books to gain more knowledge about the advanced field that was wandless and nonverbal magic. One thing without the other was already difficult enough to master properly, but both together was an impossible combination. No teacher before had required their students to practice this together; wandless magic alone was something that wasn't even supposed to be taught at school.

Professor July rolled her eyes at the shocked reaction of her students, it was like they didn't know her at all.

"You have five seconds to stand up and remove your belongings before I rearrange the tables," she said and watched with a satisfied smirk how her students dashed away from their positions like she had released giant spiders. "Five," she drawled, "Four, three -"

All the students were in the back of the classroom by now and she used her cane to knock on the ground twice. Everything at once, all the tables and chairs were pushed to the sides, rearranging themselves to take up as little space as possible, chairs placing themselves on top of tables.

Professor July smirked at the amazed reaction of her students. "That was a wandless and nonverbal spell. It takes practice, it takes patience, it takes control. In other words, it takes everything what you don't have. I would say that my expectancies for today are not very high, but that would be a lie because I don't expect anything at all. You can only surprise me."

She slowly approached her students, her cane tipping the ground every two steps.

Quinn looked to her sides, realizing that her fellow students were backing away, leaving her to be the one standing out. Her heart thumped against her ribcage when her teacher decided to come to a stop right in front of her, scrutinizing her.

"For this lesson," she quietly said, letting her breath of faint Firewhiskey and Muggle cigars ghost over Quinn's stony face, "you will partner up with someone unusual."

And for the briefest moment, Quinn suddenly felt her mind spitting out the image of Lily Potter against her will. She had tried to hold it back, had tried to keep it hidden from her teacher who was known for being a superb Legilimens, but it was futile, her mind was naked to the eyes of the older blonde.

Professor July seemed to have found what she had been looking for. A sinister smirk made her lips curl.

She stepped away from Quinn, and the latter one felt horror pumping her heart faster. What was her teacher going to do the with the information she had unrightfully stolen from her mind?

"And since I know how you will still try to choose your friends, I will be the one to pair you up," the blond teacher announced. "Fabray – Potter."

Quinn closed her eyes. She hated this class.

"Cohen-Chang, Davies."

She heard her friend huff.

"Scamander, Weasley."

"No," Lorcan quietly groaned.

It seemed like Professor July knew the unwanted partner of every student and Quinn didn't feel as terrible and violated as before. She wasn't the only one to be read against her will. It wasn't like she could do anything against it, no one had ever managed to find provable dirt on Cassandra July to report her to the Headmistress.

Once everyone had a partner, Quinn had no choice but to surrender and seek for Lily's eye-contact. She didn't look too thrilled to be paired up with her either, though the blonde had no idea why. As far as she remembered, she had never done anything to her to deserve the glare she was receiving.

Quinn cordially nodded to Lily, getting a stiff nod back. They tucked away their wands while their eyes stayed on each other, sizing each other up.

"What are you waiting for," Professor July suddenly muttered into Quinn's ear, coming up from behind, "isn't this what you want?" With her arms crossed behind her back, she circled her and mockingly whispered in her other ear, "Isn't this the perfect chance to make her pay, to put her in her place for what she did?"

Quinn didn't want to listen, didn't want to be affected, but her teacher was evoking anger in her and it was fully intended – July wanted to see a fight and she was spurring Quinn on to be the first one to break.

"Think about it," the Dark Arts teacher smirkingly mumbled behind her, putting her hands on her shoulder that felt too heavy to bear, "you can put any curse on her you want and nobody can prove it – that's the great thing about nonverbal and wandless spells, you can't trace them."

Lily's look of irritation grew with every second that Professor July continued to quietly talk to Quinn, no doubt giving her helpful advice on how to wordlessly take her down. Whatever she was saying, the Ravenclaw was getting more and more agitated, looking like she was ready to let go a curse the moment her teacher was gone.

"Have fun," Professor July mockingly said, now loudly enough for Lily to hear as well. The teacher roughly patted Quinn's shoulder and turned away, searching for other students to terrorize.

"I didn't know you were her favorite," Lily bitingly remarked as soon as July was out of hearing range. "Didn't peg you as a teacher's pet."

Utter annoyance was painted across Quinn's face. "I would be careful if I were you," she lowly hissed, "Don't slip on that trail of slime that you leave whenever you go to the Slug Club, you might fall on your big mouth."

That seemed to hit a nerve and Lily took one threatening step closer to Quinn. "Funny how you mention Slughorn, I thought he was going to invite you because of your _special_ heritage, but I guess Veelas aren't the most balanced companions to have around."

Something inside of Quinn snapped and she pictured Lily getting thrown across the room. The desire to physically beat her was consuming her, and she imagined what she would do if she had a wand.

Quinn's lack of response made Lily want to triumphantly add another remark, but before she could even open her mouth, she felt an invisible force pushing her backwards. It had felt like a weak Stupefy.

"Hey, we need to set some rules before we begin," Lily said in annoyance over the sneaky attack. She was so engrossed in her irritation over the blonde that she had not yet grasped what had really happened.

"I'm listening," Quinn curtly replied, though her tone indicated otherwise. She wasn't going to let herself be put under rules. And Lily noticed it soon enough when she felt her knees about to give in like someone had pushed into her hinge joint from behind, but she managed to stand tall.

"Will you stop that?" she hissed and backed away from her partner.

Quinn raised one eyebrow. "Stop what?"

And Lily felt herself get pushed back another two steps.

"You know what I mean," she raised her voice in aggravation. "The attacks."

"What attacks? I swear to Merlin, if you think this is funny," Quinn frustratedly said, thinking that the other girl was fooling her. How she wished she could stun her into oblivion.

Lily gasped at the sudden shove against her upper body and she put a hand on her hurting chest, the spells were getting stronger and starting to leave some damage. Adding to the physical pain, she could feel her head getting dizzy and hazy, starting to play unfamiliar memories that she couldn't remember creating.

"You liar," she hissed. She had enough of this, she pulled out her wand and defensively held it in front of herself.

"What are you doing?" Quinn immediately said, keeping a wary eye on the shaking wand.

"You're out of your mind if you think you can get away with this," Lily panted, taking a step closer to Quinn with her wand pointing at her face now. "Leave me alone, I haven't done anything."

"Get your wand out of my face," Quinn warningly hissed, starting to get angry now because she didn't understand a thing. But Lily kept her provocating position. She steadily countered, "I don't trust you."

And for the first time, Quinn wanted to intentionally hurt her with a wandless and nonverbal spell. Why people kept underestimating her never ceased to amuse her, she had Veela blood in her which was magic of a different kind, a powerful and dangerous kind that was at its strongest when emotions were involved. If she bundled all of her energy and all of her focus on the spells, then she had a chance of getting them right.

With one swipe of her hand, the wand in Lily's hand flew away and Quinn would have been surprised over her own sudden ability to perform wandless magic if her anger at Lily didn't dominate her current mood.

"I don't like it when people point their wands at me."

And Lily was knocked away by an invisible stunning charm that hit her square in her chest, lifting her off her feet, propelling her backwards into a pile of chairs. The gut-wrenching noise of chairs falling over and burying the girl inside was nothing compared to what came next.

Horrified gasps, shouts and screams filled the whole classroom as some people rushed to Lily's motionless body lying among scattered chairs. They shook her shoulder, they grabbed her cheeks and slapped her, they yelled into her ear, but she wasn't reacting, she was as lifeless as Quinn suddenly felt. She just watched; numb, thoughtless and frozen. She couldn't have possibly caused that, she hadn't wanted that...

"What is going on!"

The crowd around Lily parted for Professor July to march through and see the situation for herself. Even now, when everyone else was in panic, she managed to maintain a straight face like this wasn't an unusal occurrence.

"Someone get Potter to the Hospital," Professor July ordered without sounding troubled. "Class is over, everyone leave, now. Except for you, Fabray, you stay behind."

The class dispersed quietly, shocked, but Quinn was sure the talking and speculating would start as soon as they were out of the classroom. An unconscious Lily was dragged out by her friends Rose Weasley and Blaine Anderson, who both glared at Quinn on their way out. Only Tina gave her a worried look.

Once the last student trickled out of class, the Darks Arts teacher shut the door with the snap of her fingers.

"First of all," she sighed, "fifty points off Ravenclaw."

Quinn bit her lip. She had expected that the moment she saw the consciousness leaving Lily's eyes. Fifty points weren't the world, but they would throw Ravenclaw behind Hufflepuff and the dream to win the House Cup was getting more distant.

"Now, that was interesting," Professor July merely remarked, strutting to her desk in front to casually lean against it. She placed both of her hands on top of the head of her cane. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Quinn stood there with hanging shoulders, shaking her head because she didn't know, didn't know why she had done that, didn't know when she had lost control. She remained silent.

"Rage is a very powerful emotion, isn't it," July knowingly stated, and Quinn felt like being tested. "Spells tend to become stronger when there is emotional weight behind it. That's one reason why I like to give my students hell, the other because I simply can't stand them."

Quinn didn't feel safe enough to look her teacher in the eyes yet, she was still anxiously waiting for the punishment, but July seemed to have other topics in her mind.

"All these kids do nowadays is complaining," the Darks Arts Professor sighed. "If there was a third war, all of them would die and it wouldn't be even tragic because their complaining asses called for it. My teaching methods are tickles compared to what the Dark Lord used to practice on his victims and Death Eaters."

Unsure whether to acknowledge her words, Quinn kept her gaze focused on the ground, but she managed to catch a small movement out of the corner of her eyes. Her teacher was absently stroking the inner part of her left forearm.

"But he's dead, the world's safe, and the children can be dumb and naïve again," Professor July mockingly said. "Which leads me back to you, Fabray."

Quinn tensed up again.

"Your Veela blood combined with your emotions gave you far too much power for you to handle. You knocked out Potter."

"It was – it was unintended, Professor, I didn't want to harm her," Quinn stuttered, speaking up for the first time. "I've never done it before and I'm so sorry."

"Ah," July smirked, raising her chin. "Well, I'm not and you shouldn't be either."

Quinn almost snapped her neck the way she looked up so fast.

Her teacher was still smirking, but it was softer and looked almost appraising. "It was a very powerful Stunning Charm for your first lesson, Fabray. Of course, I've seen better and you are not the first one to pull this off in my class, but it is what it is."

The Ravenclaw didn't understand. She had just attacked a fellow student and knocked her unconscious, but here she was, hearing praise from a teacher that had never openly praised anyone before. Even if something impressed her, she still managed to pull it down by insulting it.

"But – but I hurt her -"

"Nothing Pomfrey can't fix within a minute."

Quinn couldn't believe that her teacher was on her side and downplaying her actions.

"Will I get detention?" she timidly asked.

July raised one eyebrow. "Do you want detention?"

"No," Quinn quickly said.

Quietly chuckling, her teacher slid off her table and used her cane to knock on the ground twice again. The tables and chairs on the side moved back to their places, forming neat lines and rows again.

"It took me years to get this right," July mumbled as she watched the last chair sliding back to its place with a creak. She turned her head over shoulder to catch Quinn staring at her in apprehension. "Now tell me, what triggered you? You must hate her a lot."

"I don't," Quinn muttered and received another raised eyebrow. "It's only recently," she added.

July rotated with her crane. "Stealing your love interest, perhaps?" she suggested, but her tone indicated that she knew more than she had let on.

Quinn wasn't comfortable talking about this with her teacher out of all people. She had never thought it was possible to carry a civil conversation with Professor July since the woman seemed to be always intent on tearing everyone down.

"A Legilimens doesn't only see what you see, but can feel what you feel," the older blonde offhandedly explained, rounding her table to grab a book. "And though I am not all too familiar with the feeling that was eating you up, I will lean out of the window and say it was jealousy."

Quinn swallowed and she fidgeted with the knot of her tie. "I'm not sure, Professor, I -"

"Oh, it's perfectly fine if _I_ am sure," July interrupted her and walked past her to the direction of the classroom door. "If I cared, I would tell you to go after what you want because it's not taken yet, but I don't. So have fun bathing in your misery while Potter gets there first."

"I – I don't understand -"

"Did I stutter?" July rolled her eyes, standing by the door. "Now leave before I deduct more points."

The Ravenclaw hurried to the door and wanted to leave without looking into her teacher's eyes ever again, but instead she forced herself to bravely look up and say, "Thank you. For not punishing me."

July waved her off with her hand. "You are already punished enough with having feelings."

Quinn silently agreed and she mustered up a smile. "You are a great teacher, Professor."

"Don't make me regret my decision, Fabray," her teacher muttered and strut away with her cane. But she paused midwalk and turned her head over her shoulder. "I forgot – ten points to Ravenclaw. Keep working on your wandless spells."

Watching her teacher disappear down the corridor, Quinn released a deep sigh of relief. She thought her situation had escalated, but the person she had least expected it from had given her no grief about it. It could've turned out worse – detentions until the end of school year, a letter to her parents, a public humiliation – but July actually praised her when she hadn't been expecting it at all.

The woman remained a mystery to Quinn. In all her years where she had obediently done everything July had demanded, she had always received snarky remarks and insults. But when she had thought she had completely messed up, she had done everything right.

But one thing Quinn couldn't understand was what her Professor had said at the end. She had said that what she wanted wasn't taken yet. But how could she know if Rachel wasn't taken? Had she read the mind of Lily Potter? How much did she know and why did she even care, let alone care enough to let Quinn know?

Quinn blankly stared ahead.

Maybe Cassandra July wasn't the coldhearted snake everyone titled her to be. Maybe she was just another misunderstood Slytherin.

* * *

"Noah," Rachel called out, "Noah!"

Her friend looked up confusion, then grinned when he saw the brunette approaching. "You came at the right time, my self-writing quill is giving up and I have no idea who Ragnuk the First is."

"A goblin," Rachel impatiently found herself saying, but then she shook her head and remembered why she had been searching for him in the first place. "There are these rumors about Lily being in the Hospital? Do you happen to know more?"

Noah's grin widened and he was all too happy to take a break from his homework. "Santana told me what Brittany told her what she knew from Tina, who was there when it happened. Your Veela lover? She knocked the shit out of Potter without using a wand."

"What?" Rachel exclaimed in disbelief, "She hit her?"

Noah shook his head, chuckling. "No, without a wand as in wandless magic. Turned out that Fabray was some prodigy and when she stunned Potter, she knocked her unconscious. Girl landed on chairs, ouch."

Rachel ran a hand through her dishevelled hair and heaved a worried sigh.

"I have to check on her," she breathed and had run off before Noah could tease her about not denying that Quinn was her Veela lover.

* * *

The Hospital Wing was Rachel's least frequented place, the only times she had been there were to visit her injured friends, but she herself had never been in a situation where she had needed Madam Pomfrey to piece her together.

To think that she was visiting Lily Potter felt strange and she was harshly reminded of it when Rose Weasley and Blaine Anderson, Lily's best friends, looked up at her with confusion and dislike mixed together as Rachel neared the hospital bed that Lily occupied.

"What do you want," the curly-haired boy Blaine suspiciously said and he tried to block her way to Lily, who was either sleeping or still unconscious.

Not letting his hostile attitude bother her, Rachel simply explained, "I wish to see her."

Rose moved away from her position next to Lily's bed and sided with Blaine. "But why?"

Rachel blankly eyed the girl who looked so much after her mother Hermione Granger, so much after the woman Rachel looked up to and idolized. She couldn't be rude to her, not to the face that stood for everything she believed in and achieved to be.

"Because I care," she quietly said, genuine in her intention. "I came here as soon as I heard she was injured."

Rose and Blaine shared an insecure look before they faced Rachel again, the suspicion still evident judging from their expressions. The silence between them was awkward and tense, and they still hadn't moved aside to let Rachel take a look.

"She's fine," Blaine curtly said. "Just a few bruises, nothing to see. You can go now, Pomfrey gave her a Sleeping Potion, she's not going to wake up before tomorrow."

It was the fleeting look of surprise from Rose that revealed to Rachel that this had been an improvised lie. Annoyed that the Gryffindor boy had tried to lie to her when she had been honest all along, she decided she had enough of playing.

She reached out and put a firm hand on Blaine's shoulder, shortly pinching him.

"Wha-"

Before Blaine could ask her to remove her hand, his face muscles froze like the rest of his body and he stood still, unmoving. He had been put under a full body-bind curse, and his eyes were wildly rolling from left to right, his only way to express his anger and disbelief.

Rose immediately understood what Rachel had done, but didn't want to believe her eyes. First Quinn Fabray, now Rachel Berry, everyone out of sudden seemed to have reached the advanced magic level that was wandless spells.

"Do I have to put a Petrificus Totalus on you too?" Rachel calmly asked.

Rose unsurely backed away, but was still too curious not to ask, "How did you do that?"

"It's easier if you build up contact," Rachel absently murmured, stepping to Lily's bed. She paused and let her eyes roam over the peaceful face. Then she gently laid a hand on her forehead. "This way, your magic has somewhere to flow to and it can build a connection. _Rennervate_."

Eye lids slowly fluttered open to reveal bright green eyes sleepily gazing up at Rachel, only to widen in recognition, shock and embarrassment. The redhead blushed and turned her head away.

Rose accidentally bit on her tongue in surprise over this unexpected reaction. Her friend Blaine forgotten, she moved back to Lily's bed side and stood opposite of Rachel, who pulled her hand back from Lily's face.

"How long have you been able to do this?" the Weasley girl asked in wonder.

"Professor July brings out the worst and the best in me," Rachel muttered, trying to get Lily to look at her, but she was set on facing her friend Rose instead. "I'd like to speak with Lily in private, if that's possible."

"No," Lily hoarsely protested, pleadingly looking at Rose not to go, but when her best friend saw the warning expression on Rachel's face, she was reminded of the girl's abilites and she preferred not to turn into a statue.

"I will visit you after dinner, alright?" Rose nervously smiled, and she swiftly turned around. Taking out her wand, she lifted the full body-bind curse off Blaine and pulled him along before he could protest.

"You have been avoiding me," Rachel softly began. Lily refused to look at her. Instead, she dejectedly muttered, "I was afraid that you would get a blast out of telling everyone."

A long sigh escaped Rachel before she could help herself. "Fine, you still don't trust me. But at least hear me out."

The lack of response led her to interpret it as a silent approval to go on.

"What happened between us won't spread around Hogwarts," Rachel reassured before her voice got quieter. "Because there won't be an 'us'."

The bitter and sad smile that Lily managed to put up for her tugged at her heart, and it wasn't easy for Rachel to be this blunt and honest about it. But the redheaded girl deserved the truth, better now than later. Better from her than from Santana.

"I can't say I didn't see it coming," Lily wistfully whispered, slowly turning her head around to face Rachel. Her emerald eyes gleamed with unshed tears. "It's Fabray, isn't it?"

Rachel wanted to shake her head and say no, say that she was wrong, say that she simply didn't want a relationship, but she couldn't. And it killed her not to be able to say this, because it might've taken away some of Lily's pain, she was lying here because of Quinn and the ambiguity of this situation wasn't lost on her. First Rachel, then Defense Against the Dark Arts, Lily seemed to always draw the shorter straw when she battled against Quinn Fabray.

"It's okay," Lily breathed, crestfallen, "it's okay. She is your equal and you are her mate, and I shouldn't have intervened in fate."

"What do you mean, I am her mate?" Rachel asked without thinking, but then cursed herself when she saw the hurt look flashing across Lily's face. The last thing she wanted was to rub it in her face, and she quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I don't -"

"No, you have a right to know," Lily insisted, though she looked in pain about this. "We were partnered up to duel, and whenever she attacked me, I could feel some of her emotions, hear some of her thoughts and see some of her memories. The last Stupefy she put on me was the strongest, and that was when I saw it and felt it – her memory that triggered the anger towards me."

Rachel helplessly stared at her.

"She saw us kissing," Lily whispered, and Rachel's expression froze. "That's the only thing she saw, and I could feel what she felt. The moment her spell struck me, I felt so much anger and hurt that I thought I couldn't breathe."

Rachel looked so lost that Lily almost wanted to scream at her for being so dumb and clueless.

"I can't tell if she loves you, but you mean a lot to her and seeing us together almost killed her," Lily urgently said though she was hurting herself. She didn't know why she was doing this, helping the girl who brought her here, who stunned her unconscious. But she grew up learning from her father not to mess with fate and prophecies, and what wasn't meant to be was just not meant to be, and there was nothing she could do about it.

When Rachel still wasn't moving, Lily lost all patience. "What are you still doing here? Fix this before Fabray brings me back to the Hospital in a worse shape!"

And she reached for her wand that was placed on a nightstand next to her bed, pretending to grab it as if she intended to hex Rachel. The Slytherin finally woke up from her trance and placed a stilling hand on Lily's stretched out arm.

"Lily, I can't tell you how much I -" Rachel began, only to have the other girl interrupt, "Don't rub it in."

It shut the brunette up. Despite Lily's helpful manner and good intentions, the two of them could not ignore her bitter situation and as much as the redhead wanted to dismiss everything with a free smile, it wasn't as easy as that. Rachel didn't know how to handle this in a respectful way.

"I want you to know that I really appreciate what you're doing for me. And I know it's not easy for you, that's why I admire you even more," Rachel genuinely said. "Not a lot of people could do this. You really are the Chosen One."

Lily looked up with a sad smile. "But not for you."

"No, not for me," Rachel quietly replied with some sadness lacing her voice. She cleared her throat. "But for someone else out there, who will be your equal and more."

Lily wanted to believe her, and maybe it was difficult to do so now, but it would become easier with time. She couldn't blame Rachel for being overwhelmed by everything. Years of rivalry that fell apart with one confession and one kiss. Lily had only herself to blame for not acting sooner instead of keeping up the false pretense of hating her.

"See you in our Quidditch match against each other?" Rachel softly asked.

Lily slowly nodded.

Rachel wordlessly looked down before she suddenly remembered something.

"You won't back out, right," she teased, "that would be very Slytherin of you."

And for the first time since their conversation began, Lily smiled a smile that reached her eyes and made all the pain temporarily forgotten. Her father was right, there were great people with great minds in the Slytherin house, and it was time to finally befriend one after years of judging them for things they hadn't done.

* * *

Quinn listlessly poked in her chicken salad, not able to stop herself from glancing at the Slytherin table every once in a while just to find Rachel's usual spot next to Puckerman empty. She tried not to connect Rachel's absence to Lily's absence at the Gryffindor table, but her realistic heart was convinced that the two of them missing was not a coincidence.

She still felt guilty and stupid for letting her emotions get the better of her, now she was afraid that she had messed up things between her and Rachel. Because if the girl found out that the possessive Veela inside of her had been responsible for Lily's hospital trip, then she might as well transfer to Beauxbatons. She had always wanted to learn French anyway, and the coastal landscape of France was a big plus.

"Do you mind?"

Quinn looked up and saw that Santana Lopez was actually talking to Tina, pointing out with gestures that she would like to sit next to her. Tina shared a puzzled look with Quinn and moved a bit to the side, warily eyeing Santana as she sat down opposite of the blonde.

"Brittany has Quidditch practice," Quinn said, thinking that the whereabouts of her girlfriend might be the reason why she was voluntarily sitting down at the Ravenclaw table.

But judging from her expression, Santana knew that already and that wasn't her intention of talking to her. "I know her practice schedule," she said, refraining herself from adding a 'duh'.

Quinn shot an insecure look at Tina, who subtly shrugged her shoulder along with a confused frown, not knowing what Santana wanted. Because Brittany's girlfriend rarily conversed with them, the couple tended to shut out the world around them when they were together. And when that happened, they were most of the time at the Hufflepuff table so that Quinn and Tina didn't have to deal with them two.

"How can I help you?" Quinn politely asked instead, wanting to go the safe way. Santana Lopez was as unpredictable as Cassandra July. Actually, all Slytherins seemed to be unpredictable because even Rachel, who seemed to wear her heart on her sleeve and let her soulful eyes express everthing she thought, had become an unknown variable.

"No, no, wrong question," Santana shook her head and wanted to elaborate before she closed her mouth like she had noticed something. She slowly turned her head to Tina and expectantly gazed at her with raised eyebrows.

"Fine, I'll give you some privacy," the girl admitted to listening in on them, and she stood up to leave the Ravenclaw table.

Satisfied, Santana turned back to Quinn whose curiosity had risen by this act of secrecy. What could possibly be so important that it had to be just between them? Was this about Brittany's approaching Birthday?

"I'm not here because I need help," Santana explained, and her voice sounded serious enough for Quinn to reduce her doubts toward her, "but because Rachel needs it."

Innerly jumping at the name, Quinn tried not to come over as desperate when she quickly asked, "Is she okay?"

If Santana had noticed the eagerness, then she didn't show it. Her expression staying genuinely concerned, she sighed and worriedly said, "Physically? Yes. But mentally? No."

Quinn wanted to urge her on, to explain things faster, but she remained respectful if Santana seemed to be so troubled by it.

"It's Potter," Santana disdainfully hissed, and Quinn could immediately join her mood. "She's up to no good, I just know it. All these years, they hated each other. But when Rachel became our Seeker, Potter suddenly decided that those were all just misguided feelings and that she actually likes her. Coincidence? Oh no, that's just a fucked up tactic to mess with her head right before our important game."

The Ravenclaw put her cutlery down and shoved her plate away. Her appetite was now completely gone.

All at once, Quinn didn't feel guilty anymore or sorry at all for stunning Lily unconscious. She actually felt regret for not leaving a deeper damage because the redhead would be out of the hospital by tomorrow morning. If she had known this sooner, if she had known that Rachel was being used, then she would've done more than just a stunning charm. And then Potter wouldn't be able to leave the hospital for weeks.

"She's playing her," Santana continued in aggravation and Quinn felt with her, "but Rachel's too nice to see it, and no matter what I do, she just won't listen to me. She is too naïve and forgiving for Merlin's sake, she sees the good in everyone. I almost gave up hope trying to convince her, but then I heard about your DADA class – and I realized, I'm not alone. Fabray, you are her friend, too."

Quinn worked her jaw and slowly nodded. Friends. For now. She hoped that status would change as soon as she managed to rip off Potter's false mask and reveal her as a liar to Rachel. All the self-doubt and hopelessness that their kiss had caused, it was gone, because Quinn now knew that she had no actual competition anymore. As soon as Lily Potter was revealed as a fraud, Quinn would step up to the scene and claim Rachel's attention for herself.

"What's the plan," Quinn quietly asked, her expression turning stony.

A sly smirk spread on Santana's satisfied face. With her elbows propped on the table, she slowly leaned forward and asked with tilted head, "How good are you with wandless spells?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Harry Potter Crossover**

**Pairing: Faberry**

**Setting: Postwar era, Hogwarts.**

**Summary: ** Her Veela heritage has both been a blessing and a curse for Quinn Fabray in her entire life. Her unearthly beauty and irresistible thrall has always gotten her what she wanted, yet kept her away from what she needed – genuine love.

**Disclaimer:** Bless JK Rowling. And to some extent, Glee for their characters. But only their characters.

**Note: Sorry for the delay. I'm in the middle of moving out, preparing to go to college. It's a bit frightening, but at the same time freeing. Anyway, I'm nervous about finding a place to live, so please bear with me.**

* * *

"_Alohomora._"

A clicking sound reverberated in the corridor. Rachel's grip on her wand tightened as she entered the empty classroom, her body tense and senses alarmed. Blindly reaching behind her, she grabbed the door knob and carefully pulled the door close.

A cool whiff grazed her cheek.

"_Protego!_" Rachel whipped her wand and a glowing shield that pulsed with energy broke out in front of her, trembling when it was hit by something invisible yet strong. Keeping her wand raised and shield intact, the Slytherin slowly marched toward the direction of where the attack came from.

"Why so uptight, my dear?" came a taunting voice from behind.

Rachel quickly turned around and braced herself with her shield, blocking another spell that shook her defense and tore a hole in her Protego shield. It quickly mended close again, but the shield was getting thinner.

"I simply don't appreciate this ritual," Rachel mumbled, her defense still up. She slowly turned her head, hoping to spot a trace of where her invisible attacker stood.

"Wrong answer."

And Rachel's wand flew out of her hand, her shield dissolving. She felt something pointy poking her back and she sighed. A low voice huskily whispered in her ear from behind. "If you can't appreciate what I'm doing for you, then leave."

Rachel didn't budge.

"I thought so."

The brunette's face remained stony. She didn't want to show how ruffled her feathers were.

"You were distracted. Inattentive. You know how I feel about you coming to me like this."

"I'm sorry, Professor July," Rachel quietly said. "This will not happen again."

"You better hope so," her teacher muttered and held her wand in front of her. Rachel took it with a small nod.

"Take position. Don't think I'll be easier on you just because you're worse than usual," July ordered and impatiently knocked with her cane on the ground.

Rachel bit on her tongue to refrain herself from lashing out. She had never felt this unready, never this upset, but this week was getting to her. Messy Quidditch practices and unexpected love confessions aside, she hadn't seen Quinn since she had promised her to take her to the Astronomy Tower. And now when she actually had an evening off from practicing Quidditch or patrolling the corridors, she had to spend it with Professor July because of private lessons that she had never voluntarily signed up for.

"I said take position, get ready!" July snapped. "I can hear your thoughts from over here."

But Rachel couldn't stop her thoughts, she couldn't stop her mind from bringing up pictures of Lily Potter looking crestfallen or Quinn Fabray looking like an angel. She couldn't stop thinking of the Quidditch match against Gryffindor tomorrow and how it either meant glory or life-long embarrassment for her.

So when July muttered _Legilimens_, all of her thoughts and memories were laid bare and she could feel her Professor effortlessly intruding her mind. Rachel clenched her teeth, trying to keep her head blank, trying to store away her thoughts, but she felt so vulnerable and weak.

"Will you start concentrating!" July aggressively said and took one step closer to Rachel whose face was contorted in pain. "_Legilimens._"

"No..." Rachel feebly whispered, and her mind was ripped open once again, the memories of the last few days coming back to life.

"_You think I am amazing?"_

"_Don't be ridiculous, she doesn't stare."_

"_Hated you? There's nothing about you to hate..."_

"NO!" Rachel shouted and tore herself away from July's probing presence by raising her own wand and exclaiming, "_Protego!_"

July's eyes widened and she threw herself out of the repelling spell's way. Rachel panted heavily and held her aching forehead, facing away from her teacher. "I'm sorry, but some things are too private."

"That's where you're wrong," July lowly hissed and closed in on her student, intensely staring down at her, "Do you think a dark wizard cares if the drama inside your head is private? Do you think _I _care if you can't handle your love life?"

Rachel looked up in suppressed anger. "With all due respect, Professor, but my love life is really none of your business."

July's lips curled up into a smirk. "It becomes my business if it's the reason you can't focus in my lesson. You either tell me now what's distracting you or I will find out myself."

Rachel gaped at her in disbelief, her teacher had no right. "Professor, I really don't think -"

"I wish you would think less," the blonde teacher said with a sigh. She gave Rachel a disapproving once-over and stepped away, going to the direction of her office that was connected to the classroom with a door.

At a loss, Rachel questioningly called after her, "Am I free to go?"

"Sure, sure," July dismissively said without turning back to Rachel. "It's not like I can expect any progress tonight."

The Slytherin student bit on her lip and tightened her grip on her wand. She hated to disappoint people.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I'm just very nervous about tomorrow's Quidditch game," she quietly confessed.

July actually stopped to glance over her shoulder. "I'm sure you will provide great entertainment when you fall off your broom."

Rachel couldn't say that she had expected encouragement, but she had hoped for the rare moments where her teacher would surprise her with a few words of support.

"Goodnight, Professor," she muttered and headed for the door.

"Berry, wait."

With one hand lingering on the doorknob, Rachel looked up to find July suddenly standing in front of her again. She didn't know how she got there so fast, she thought the whole castle was put under an anti-apparition spell.

"Remember to clear you mind," July lowly said, looking her student deep in the eyes to the point of making her squirm. "Clear your mind from distractions during the game and you will be fine. You will get the Snitch. I know you will, Rachel."

Rachel wanted to stutter out her thanks, but the classroom got dark and when she quickly muttered a _Lumos_ to light up the room, her teacher was gone.

–

Rachel always gave people the benefit of doubt. But when she determinedly approached the Ravenclaw table only to be brushed off by Tina Cohen-Chang when she asked about Quinn, she was sure that she was being avoided on purpose. Did she read too much into their friendship, if she could even call that friendship? Was she one of Quinn's more casual friends that she only hung out with when her closer ones were busy?

Actually, what was she to Quinn? A mere acquaintance on a friendly basis?

The corner of Rachel's lips turned downwards in a frown. Could it be that she imagined herself to play a bigger role in Quinn's life than she actually was? She really thought they had established something deep and meaningful from the start, but on the other side, knowing someone for less than two weeks couldn't provide a much deeper foundation for a friendship.

Getting angry at herself for being such a naive fool when it came to socializing, Rachel decided to at least succeed in one part of her life that wasn't academics.

She needed to clear her mind if she wanted to catch the Snitch before Lily. Rachel needed to win that game to prove to herself that she could succeed in anything as long as she set her mind on it. She wasn't going to be easier on the Gryffindors like Santana irrationally feared.

Forcing her mind to come to a rest, she slowly marched out of the castle to the Quidditch field on her own. The important game wasn't going to start in another hour and she hadn't even intended to go that early and alone, but if Quinn couldn't distract her from the pressure of winning the game, then she had to do it herself.

It was a mix of meditating and nervous humming. Rachel had trouble finding inner peace, her mind straying away to darker and scarier things. No, she needed to focus like July always told her to, and she was going to get the Snitch. She could do it. If not for herself, then for her house, for her friends, for Professor July who had expressed more faith in her than she herself did.

Rachel was already dressed in her Quidditch uniform once the rest of her team entered the changing room, barely looking at her in surprise. In this moment, nothing was weird enough to be questioned because everyone had their own ritual to mentally prepare themselves before a game. They just didn't show or talk about it.

"And? How are you feeling?"

Noah Puckerman sat down on the bench next to Rachel and gently bumped her shoulder with his own.

"I'm not sure if I can describe it in words," Rachel sighed. "I just don't want to disappoint you all. I know how important Quidditch is to you and if we don't win this game, I'll..."

"Shh, you're thinking too much," her friend nudged her again. "That big brain of yours needs to stop. You can't think about all of this if you wanna win, or you're gonna be too distracted to see the Snitch."

Rachel nervously stroked her uniform with her last name on her back. "I guess I do think too much if everyone keeps telling me that."

"Someone's finally caught on," and Santana plopped down on the bench next to Rachel's other side. She playfully bumped her shoulder so she would be pushed into Noah and the boy laughingly bumped her back. Both had her sandwiched in between them and laughed when Rachel tried to wiggle her way out.

They were joking around and teasing each other, making the last twenty minutes before the game fly past in seconds and it wasn't until their other teammates reminded them that they remembered they had a job to do.

"Listen up," Santana loudly announced to gather up her team for one last prep talk. "It's time to show everyone who's boss. And it's time to get those fuckers off their high horses, so let's go kick some ass!"

The team roared in excitement and they didn't stop chanting songs of triumph until they were out on the Quidditch field with almost all of the teachers and students of Hogwarts awaiting them. The Slytherin stand erupted in cheers and Rachel finally understood what it felt like to be the center of attention, to be popular, to be important. She felt like a star athlete being greeted by loyal fans who shouted their love from across the stadium.

She glanced at the teachers' stand and found all the Slytherin teachers clapping for them. Though the stand was too far away to recognize each face individually, she was sure that among the clapping ones was Professor July because her long, blonde hair was unmissable amid the gray and bald heads.

She felt a surge of energy pumping through her veins. Her thoughts slowly retreated to the background. They weren't important anymore, all that mattered were her senses and reflexes.

It was all a blur, Rachel didn't hear the crowd roaring anymore, she watched through a hazy vision how Santana indifferently shook hands with Lily Potter and how they both turned to Madam Beiste when she spoke up. Gryffindor won the coin toss, so they would start off with the Quaffle.

Standing there a little bit numbly, Rachel copied the actions of her teammates and threw one leg over her broom. She didn't hear the whistle announcing the start of the game, but she did see everyone else taking off, so she forcefully pushed herself off the ground and was high up in the air only seconds later, already higher than anyone else.

And suddenly, her mind was as clear as her vision. Nothing was blurry anymore, Rachel could actively feel the wind blowing against her reddening cheeks and her Firebolt vibrating beneath her, like it was as excited as her.

She immediately started circling the stadium from above, looking out for the Snitch while she now and then glanced at the score. Ten minutes into the game, and nothing special had happened yet aside from Rachel dodging a slow Bludger that had halfheartedly tried to knock her off her broom.

"A slow match, isn't it?"

Rachel looked up to find Lily gracefully flying into her view. She was unsure on how to react, because if she was trying to distract her from the game, then she had to know that Rachel wasn't up for a small chat.

"I could entertain you with a saying from Muggles about how it doesn't matter how slow you go, but I'm sure that's not what you want to hear," Rachel absently said and turned her head down to focus on the game again. Even if Lily's presence made her slightly uncomfortable, at least she knew where she was now and if she spotted the Snitch, they both had a fair chance of winning because of the same starting point.

"I'm actually glad that you talk to me at all, you know," Lily honestly said and Rachel looked up again, this time forgetting her task.

"Why wouldn't I?" Rachel asked in confusion. "Didn't we already establish the nature of our relation as friendship?"

Lily laughed at the wording, only Rachel would talk like this normally.

"Yeah, I guess we did," she chuckled, but then admitted, "but I wasn't sure if you were just being nice because I was vulnerable that moment. Now is different. You could ignore me for the sake of winning the game."

Rachel straightened her posture on her broom as her back started to hurt from slouching so long. "Do not misunderstand me, I still very much want my team to win. But that doesn't excuse impoliteness. We can be civil, can't we?"

Lily wanted to reply and her face was already grinning, when her expression slipped and she breathed out, "The Snitch."

Rachel turned her head and sure enough, there was the Snitch in plain sight, at least half a stadium away, happily flying in circles. She turned her head back to find Lily's widened eyes connecting with hers and they came to a mutual, silent agreement.

They both threw the weight of their upper body forward to get their brooms to accelerate, and both were on the same level as they neared the unsuspecting Snitch, and Rachel had to narrow her eyes because the headwind was mercilessly blowing against her frozen face, making her eyes water. She noticed how her expensive broom proved to be worth its money when she slowly left Lily behind, being one arm length closer to the Snitch than she was.

Rachel didn't even register the excited roaring of the crowd, didn't hear the Slytherins yelling her name, spurring her on. But what she did realize was that Lily Potter was suddenly no longer behind her and when she risked a look over her shoulder, she saw the girl dangling off her broom with one stiff hand holding on to it.

But the Snitch...just a few yards away, bouncing in the air, waiting to be caught, tempting her with all the good things she could have if she only grabbed it.

Rachel let out a frustrated yell and yanked the tip of her broom around, speeding toward a frightened Lily who seemed to have great difficulties holding on to her broom. Her expression was terrified and her gritted teeth showed her pain and lessening strength in her arm, and why was no one helping her?

Those Gryffindor players who had noticed, alarmed by the crowd's yelling, were already on their way but no one was as near to her as Rachel was. And Rachel could feel her heart pounding harder than before, she didn't know how to help her, what if she fell, would she be fast enough to chase after and catch her?

"Please," Lily shouted in a strangled voice, "I can't hold on to it any longer..."

And her fingers went limp and slipped off her broom, and she could feel her mind go blank because her heart was too weak to go through a free fall. But the fall never came. Instead, she found herself sitting on another broom with her back pressed against someone, and her sudden weight made the broom quiver once, but it remained stable.

"Like father, like daughter," she heard a dry voice mumbling behind her and she leaned into the body behind her, closing her eyes in relief. But that relief didn't last for long when she realized whose warm body she was leaning into.

"Lil, are you alright?"

Rachel found herself being surrounded by all the Gryffindor players and she wondered if the game was paused. When she looked down to find the Slytherin players glaring up at her for letting the Snitch go and saving the enemy, she assumed that the game was paused or otherwise they would've kept scoring one goal after another, shamelessly using this opportunity where no opponent was around.

"How did you fall off your broom? We didn't even see it, it happened so fast!" Blaine Anderson asked confused, looking up at Lily's broom that remained still in the air.

Lily shook her head and quietly said, "I don't know, I just lost control. I can't remember how."

Rachel could feel the girl tense up, but didn't comment on it. "Do you think you can get back on your broom?" she gently asked.

Unsure, Lily hesitated before she answered, "I'll try, okay?"

With the help of a few Gryffindors, they hoisted her back onto her own broom mid-air and Rachel carefully watched every move in case she had to catch Lily from falling again. As soon as everything seemed to be okay again, a whistle signaled everyone to be back in their position.

Before Blaine followed the rest of his team, he cleared his throat and Rachel watched him struggling for words. "You're...really okay. I'm sorry for that day in the hospital -"

"The game is back on," Rachel decided to release him and he gratefully nodded, flying back to his position as a chaser.

Rachel wanted to check on Lily before she went back to searching for the Snitch which had already disappeared in the meantime. But the redhead flew away in a different direction and when Rachel called after her, Lily yelled at her, "No, don't! Don't come nearer or she'll push me off the broom for real! Just stay away from me!"

And she dashed away, leaving the Slytherin dumbfounded.

"Who?" was Rachel's initial reaction.

Did someone curse her to fall off her broom? Did someone intentionally want the Gryffindor to fall to her death? And if there was a person behind it, then who?

But Lily had said 'she'. And there was only one person she could think of that would want to hurt Lily and had the abilities to.

"No," Rachel whispered to herself, deeply frowning. Quinn wouldn't dare to go that far, would she? She wouldn't abuse her powers and risk someone getting severely hurt.

She needed the truth and she needed it now, she didn't have time to wait for the Snitch to reappear again. Leaning forward, she raced across the stadium and squinted her eyes for something gold, flying everywhere she could think of. People were watching her in curiosity, wondering what she was hoping to achieve through this tactic that seemed desperate, but they were all proved wrong when Rachel saw the Snitch.

It was less spectacular than she had dreamed it, and she had dreamed a lot about the moment her fingers would grasp the golden Snitch, but when she went in for the chase, she didn't think. She kept her eyes on the Snitch with her right hand stretched out and when she felt the cool metal against the palm of her hand, the whole Slytherin stand broke out in applause and cheering.

But the feeling of glory never came for Rachel, instead she dodged her celebrating teammates who wanted her to fly an honor lap with them around the stadium with the Snitch in hand. She flew straight to the Ravenclaw stand and searched for one certain blonde-haired Veela. The Ravenclaws eyed her in suspicion and some crudely shouted at her, but it didn't matter because Rachel only looked at one of them.

"Meet me in half an hour at the stairs of the place you promised to show me," Rachel loudly said, her stern eyes piercing into Quinn's. The blonde showed no reaction though she knew that she was doomed.

"Isn't it rather impolite to assume that I have no plans for the next thirty minutes?" Quinn coolly replied, and the Ravenclaws around her turned their heads between her and Rachel, who was still soaring above them. Nobody really understood what was going on, it was a Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, so why was Fabray involved?

"I honestly don't think you are in the right mind to judge about politeness considering what just happened," Rachel countered in a calm voice. Quinn's face turned stony while the students around her became more and more confused. What was the brunette even talking about? What had just happened that they seemed to have missed?

Quinn raised her chin and leisurely brushed her hair over her shoulder. This small movement attracted Rachel's eyes along with a few more unwanted ones. "Please enlighten me as I have difficulties to recall but – what are you accusing me of again?"

Rachel let out a short, humorless laugh. "Really, Quinn, you want to keep playing? Are you sure you can afford to lose?"

She straightened her posture on her broom and raised her right hand with the Snitch in it whose wings were still weakly fluttering in a small attempt to fly away.

"Catching it didn't even feel half as good as I imagined it to be," she said in a strained voice. "Because this game wasn't fair. How fair can it be when you hex someone off their broom?"

The Ravenclaws who still hadn't left, purposely staying to witness this, all gasped in unison.

Tina tugged at her blonde friend's robe. "C'mon, let's go, we don't have to listen to her bullshit."

"No, I'm fine," Quinn placated her friend, absently dismissing her while her face was still turned to Rachel up in the air. "I'm actually very interested in what she has to say. And she managed to convince me to talk to her in private."

Rachel refrained from making a snide remark. She couldn't believe the audacity Quinn had, to pretend she was innocent, to pretend they were nothing. She felt sick, having seen only good in the part Veela before, and now she was presented another, less pleasant idea of the blonde.

Feeling too disappointed to let out something witty, Rachel slowly leaned back, making her Firebolt gently soar backwards.

"You made me believe you were someone you don't even remotely resemble now," she quietly said before completely turning around with her broom and flying toward the dressing rooms.

The last surrounding Ravenclaws had the decency to first leave before they started gossiping in hushed voices, sharing their own theories and opinions over what could have happened, ignoring Quinn who was staring after them in annoyance.

Confused, Tina wanted answers from Quinn who suddenly looked very tired and worn out though she had done nothing in the last thirty minutes except for standing.

"Are you okay?" she hesitantly asked, nudging her friend.

Quinn nodded and didn't face Tina when she tonelessly suggested, "Let's go."

To make sure her friend wasn't going to pass out, Tina wordlessly slung an arm around her waist and accompanied her like this the whole way back to the castle, wondering what was going on between her and Rachel. They had gotten along fine and Tina had already expected them to become an item within weeks until Lily Potter was thrown into the mix. Now things had gradually gotten worse and worse, and Quinn was too stubborn to do something about it while Rachel was too clueless for her own good.

Tina didn't even really understand what Quinn saw in her. That girl had smarts that every average Ravenclaw had, why couldn't she choose anyone of their own house? But the only candidates would be the Scamander twins who were unaffected by Quinn's thrall. The other boys could never love her for her.

It made Tina wonder if that was what started Quinn infatuation. The fact that Rachel actually had no infatuation at all with her. Did the blonde only like her because it was unrequited? Did all those years of growing up with a thrall, being desired by everyone, warp her taste in people? Was Quinn the opposite of those people who clung to anyone at the first bit of attention because they usually had no one expressing their interest in them?

No, this theory made no sense. Even if Quinn was used to everyone falling to her feet at the snap of her fingers, that didn't mean she liked those people who didn't. It would be stupid to be this masochistic.

She was sure that Quinn had her reasons for letting Rachel get close to her. Tina wasn't stupid, she had seen her friend hurrying to the Quidditch field after a disastrous Slytherin Quidditch practice that left Rachel sitting alone on the field. Anyone else with a rational mind wouldn't have left the warm Ravenclaw common room to go down to the Quidditch stadium where it was cold and windy. So there had to be something about the brunette that reeled Quinn in.

"I thought you were friends," Tina mumbled once they entered the warm castle, and Quinn detached herself from her.

"Until I ruined everything," Quinn tiredly said, going ahead and Tina followed her.

"So...she was telling the truth?" Tina slowly asked, not wanting to believe a word. "You made Potter slip off her broom? But why?"

"Because I'm an idiot," Quinn angrily said, her pace getting faster. "Lopez, that two-faced snake, she lied to me. She used me. She knew that the trace would lead back to me, but not to her."

More confused than ever, Tina stuttered out, "She made you hex Potter?"

Quinn growled and mumbled to herself, "For nothing. She never intended to play unfair. And I was used to make sure she won't win."

Now Tina wasn't so sure if she still wanted to know everything from Quinn. Things were starting to head to the drama department and she had no intention of getting caught up in between, but her friend needed a rational mind to lean on right now.

"Please, slow down," Tina panted and placed one hand on her friend's shoulder, but it was quickly shrugged off.

"I can't, I need to go, I need to be anywhere but here..."

"No, Quinn, wait – let's talk this out, let me help you."

"Tina, you don't understand what I'm going through right -"

"Then make me!" Tina finally shouted, angry and frustrated. Quinn stopped mid-walk. "Don't run away like a self-pitying coward, don't make this a bigger deal than it is! Help me understand and I'll help you."

Quinn didn't turn around and Tina didn't make any move to catch up with her. They kept a distance with one facing the other's back.

"If Rachel is the reason you're acting like this, then maybe she's no good for you," Tina said and immediately regretted it when Quinn whipped around and faced her with a scowl that looked inhuman. She was scared to even think about it, but for one second, she believed she had caught a glimpse of the beastly Veela that lurked inside Quinn.

"Quinn?" Tina timidly asked and stepped back. "Quinn, I'm sorry, I-"

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry," Quinn said, quickly shaking her head like she was trying to get rid of dark thoughts, and her face glowed with unearthly beauty again unlike those few seconds where her facial structures had contorted into something dark and feral. "I don't know what's wrong with me, I feel like I have no control over myself anymore. What's happening?"

"If I only knew," Tina mumbled, but she was relieved that normal Quinn was back. "We should go see someone who can help you."

Quinn gave her a lost look. She didn't know anyone with great knowledge about Veelas within Hogwarts. Contacting her parents would take time she didn't have, she couldn't keep going on like this anymore, what if she lost control and her ugly Veela side would show? Those last days had already been pure torture, with all these unknown feelings plaguing her every hour, constantly filling her mind with doubt and helplessness and anger.

No, she needed the release now, these mind-games needed to stop. She couldn't take one more betrayal and lie, she couldn't bear more disappointment and hurt. She might not be completely human, but her feelings were just as intense, if not even worse.

Had she not learned anything from her past? How many times had she been used and tricked? And still, when Lopez acted all genuine and concerned, she was fooled again and used again. Even if this time was different, even if she wasn't used for her looks, someone still took advantage of her to their own benefit. And Quinn couldn't believe that she hadn't seen right through it, blinded by the need to play the hero and get closer to Rachel.

"Quinn?" Tina hesitantly spoke up, nearing her. She gently took the brooding Veela by the wrist. "Do you still want to meet up with Rachel?"

The blonde instantly reacted to the name and looked up, torn. "Yes and no. I want to, but I'm not sure if I can."

Divination was probably not Tina's strongest subject, but she could tell that if Quinn didn't talk this out with Rachel soon, then really bad things were about to happen. She was sure that once all this mess was cleared up and all misunderstandings sorted out, everything would go back to normal.

"For once, Quinn, I'm asking to you to do something I would normally reject doing," Tina took a deep breath. "Stop being a Ravenclaw for once and act like a Gryffindor. You need to stop overthinking everything and start dealing with it. Go talk to her, things can only turn out better than before."

"I strongly agree with your friend."

Both Quinn and Tina turned around in surprise to be greeted with the sight of a grim looking Rachel still in her Quidditch robe. Her Firebolt was tightly grasped in her right hand while the other was clenched into a fist.

"I would have believed every lie to avoid the truth," Rachel mumbled darkly. "But truth always finds a way out."

"Your pretentious words won't get you anywhere," Quinn acted indifferent, and she shared a look with Tina in which she silently told her to go so she could sort this out on her own. This was her mess that she had to clean up. And it was either going to get dirtier or easier to clean up.

Tina slowly retreated, turning her back on a scene she most definitely didn't want to witness. There was something uncomfortable about feeling the tension between two person fighting out of attraction. She was wrong about Quinn's infatuation being unrequited, so completely wrong. Rachel was just as much as infatuated, but was more controlled about it. It was because of her hurt and anger that she wasn't able to act on her feelings, repressing them instead to let out all the more recent, negative emotions.

Rachel let go of her Firebolt and it remained standing. Quinn's widened eyes flickered to it, but she swallowed down a comment.

"My pretentious words apparently got to you," Rachel quietly said and Quinn's expression turned angry. How dared the girl assume that like she was all-knowing? Even if she was right, even if she did get to Quinn, quite badly actually, that gave her no right to assume this.

"What makes you think that? What gives you the wrong impression that you matter to me?" she kept her voice flat, hoping to sound unimpressed and cold when she felt her insides burning up in regret.

The flash of hurt crossing Rachel's face betrayed her calm stance and stoic expression. Her need to get through this cold version of Quinn to find the caring girl beneath was forcing her to use methods against her rational conscience.

"I don't know," she carelessly shrugged. "Maybe it's because Lily told me about the things going on in your mind when you attacked her and they tell me a different story."

Shocked, Quinn stumbled back a few steps.

"She's lying," she immediately retorted, irritated. "How would she know? Unless I'm mistaken, she's no master of Legilimancy."

"She doesn't need to be," Rachel replied with a humorless smile. "Professor July told you that wandless spells are untraceable, didn't she? But she forgot to mention that it's only untraceable as long as you stay emotionally unattached to the victim."

Quinn didn't like where this was going. She felt like being backed into a corner with no dignified way out.

And Rachel seemed to get some satisfaction out of this.

"Whatever you were feeling in the moment you attacked Lily," Rachel's voice got lower, "she felt it, too."

"Okay, then," Quinn breathed, placing one hand on her throat. She felt something toxic, something dangerous welling up inside her chest, rearing its ugly head. It was longing to be let out, to be freed. And the worst part was that she had no desire to push this urge down. "Do you want me to apologize for attacking your girlfriend or what is the point of this conversation?"

At this sudden change of attitude, Rachel's stance shifted, getting apprehensive. Not because what Quinn had said made her uncomfortable, but because the dark look in her eyes alarmed her and made her uneasy.

"Quinn?" Rachel worriedly asked, stepping closer to the part Veela, but only received a sneer.

"So now you are concerned about my feelings," Quinn muttered quietly, her voice getting scratchier and deeper until it became a low, guttural growl, "but did you care when you kissed her in front of me?"

And Rachel gasped when she saw Quinn's eyes tinging a toxic yellow.

"Quinn, your eyes..."


	5. Chapter 5

**Harry Potter Crossover**

**Pairing: Faberry**

**Setting: Postwar era, Hogwarts.**

**Summary: ** Her Veela heritage has both been a blessing and a curse for Quinn Fabray in her entire life. Her unearthly beauty and irresistible thrall has always gotten her what she wanted, yet kept her away from what she needed – genuine love.

**Disclaimer:** Bless JK Rowling. And to some extent, Glee for their characters. But only their characters.

**Note: Good news in the HP world inspired me again! Enjoy. **

* * *

_"Quinn, your eyes..."_

"Tell me, did you know that I was there?" Quinn hissed, her contorted mouth revealing elongated, pointy teeth. "Waiting for you, thinking I meant something to you, only for you to prove to me that I can't be loved. I can't be loved because I'm not human."

She bitterly laughed, her voice sounding so distorted that it resembled a feral growl and it became difficult for Rachel to understand the next scathing words escaping those once pink lips that now looked frozen blue.

"You wanted the truth? This is it. Ugly, isn't it?"

And her voice broke, replacing words with pained groans. Quinn's whole body shook uncontrollably and she stumbled a few steps backwards, causing Rachel to rush to her, not one second thinking about what this could mean for her safety.

"It can't be happening," the Slytherin whispered in fear and shock, aware of what she was about to witness. She reached for Quinn's trembling form, wanting to hold her, but the part Veela sharply hissed at her and pushed her away by her shoulders, then stepped away from Rachel herself.

"No..."

Rachel couldn't move to save her life. She stayed rooted to the ground, helplessly watching Quinn slowly transforming into something none of them had control of. She couldn't look away, couldn't take out her wand, couldn't even open her mouth to shout for help. She didn't think she had ever seen such a beautiful yet terrifying creature coming to life in front of her.

Quinn's golden hair turned into thick strands of silver, her delicate skin lost all color and became ashen-pale, almost transparent, and Rachel stared at her fingernails, watching them grow into sharp claws. Instead of following her alarmed mind, she didn't budge and watched numbly how the Ravenclaw turned into one of the creatures that half of the wizard community still feared.

"Quinn," Rachel weakly whispered, searching for the girl inside the creature that breathed heavily and looked around for orientation. Perking up at the sound, yellow eyes with pupils vertically dilated observed the human in front of her. She couldn't smell fear. That was strange.

As far as Rachel could tell, the transformation was over and this was Quinn's final Veela stage. Her two personalities didn't seem to share the same consciousness as Rachel was being watched in curiosity and apprehension. The Veela side of Quinn didn't recognize Rachel.

"Quinn," the brunette girl repeated, taking one careful step towards the creature that silently stared back, her chest heaving in a fast pace that seemed to be her normal heartbeat. "Quinn, I know you can hear me."

But when Rachel stretched out one tentative hand towards her, the Harpies resembling creature loudly growled and bared her sharp teeth, hissing at the unwanted approach.

"No, I'm sorry," Rachel quickly put her hand down, showing her palm while backing away. "There's no wand in my hand, see? I don't want to hurt you. Not more than I've already done, unintentionally of course. But still, it doesn't change the fact that it's my fault, so for that I'm deeply sorry. I'm sorry, Quinn."

The Veela didn't understand what the human was saying, but she was soothed by the calm and sincere tone in her gentle voice. So when she sensed no threat from her, she shifted her offensive stance into a more neutral one, straightening her shoulders. She let her arms hang at her sides, her claws pointing at the ground.

Rachel didn't let herself sigh in relief. One wrong move and it could set the Veela off.

"How you remain so graceful and beautiful will cause me many sleepless nights," Rachel whispered to herself, staring up at the majestic creature that observed her with silent curiosity. The brunette let her eyes slowly drag across the Veela's face, noting the facial structures to be still so Quinn. High cheekbones, a strong chin and beautifully shaped eyes. But it wasn't Quinn, those yellow eyes looked at her with no recognition, and those pale blue lips hid a set of sharp and pointy teeth that could no doubt bite through skin and bones.

"I should have told you that when I had the chance," Rachel wistfully said to herself, her eyebrows drawing together.

The Veela could sense that something about this human was special; she felt drawn to the brunette, felt the overwhelming need to learn everything about her. To protect her though she was a stranger. There was an undeniable connection between them that wasn't made up by the mind, but originated in the Veela's blood and heritage.

Only the sound of the Veela's fast-paced breathing registered in Rachel's brain. Quinn's other side was the only thing she was aware of, nothing else around them mattered. She didn't think about what would happen if students or teachers barged into this corridor and saw the transformed Veela, she didn't think about the consequences. Her subconsciousness easily dismissed those thoughts, not seeing interruption as a threat because the corridor they were occupying was a smaller, less frequented one that mostly Ravenclaws used as a shortcut to their tower. And since most of the Ravenclaws were already back in their common room, there was no reason to worry about intruders.

Rachel could stare at the Veela for hours, but as much as the creature fascinated her, she wanted Quinn back. Warm and caring Quinn who didn't coldly dismiss her. Funny and witty Quinn whose laugh was genuine and not scornful. Before the Lily-Potter-incident Quinn and not the post-Lily-Potter-incident Quinn.

"I didn't want to kiss her," Rachel suddenly said, and though her words couldn't reach the Veela's understanding, it had an unpleasant impact on her as she suddenly scowled and hissed in disapproval.

"No, please hear me out, Quinn," the Slytherin insisted, knowing that the blonde girl had to be inside there somewhere, listening, or she wouldn't be reacting like that, "She surprised me. But I didn't want to kiss her. The only one I've thought about kissing for a while is you."

And Rachel paused, looking up at the Veela with a regretful look. "But I suppose now is not a good time, is it?"

The Veela tilted her head. Something about the brunette's words calmed her down again and comforted her. Wanting to show the human that she could understand her on an emotional level, she mimicked her earlier move and stretched out one hand, her palm wide open. She wasn't sure what to expect of this move, was the human supposed to place her hand against hers?

The same thing went through Rachel's mind as she stared at the offered hand. It was so pale that it looked almost transparent, showing dark veins bulging and pulsating. But despite its fragile look, the long claws at the end of her fingers took away that first illusion.

"I trust you not to hurt me," Rachel whispered and she carefully stretched out her own hand, walking forward.

The Veela's hand twitched, and her eyes flared up with fear at the approach, suddenly having second thoughts about offering connection. Rachel could sense the tremor and quickly looked away, focusing her eyes on the ground while her right hand was still up.

"When you're ready," she breathed, only able to see things out of the corner of her eyes. All she could do now was wait for Veela Quinn to make the first move.

Her arm unwavering, she patiently waited, her head facing the ground to her side.

A low grunt was the only warning she had, then she gasped.

Rachel could feel the raw surface of the claws against her fingertips, and the icy skin against her palm. Though she had mentally prepared herself for the touch, a cold shiver ran from her hand through her arm up to her shoulder and down her spine.

And it felt good. It felt right. It wasn't the scary kind of shiver that traveled throughout her body, but a soothing, comforting one like her blood was overheated and she had something to cool her down from the inside.

The way the Veela instinctively leaned closer to Rachel told her that this unknown feeling wasn't one-sided. Whatever that was making her senses tingle, Quinn could feel it, too. Veela Quinn at least.

"You fascinate me," Rachel whispered in awe, slowly daring to look up to meet toxic yellow eyes staring back with the same mesmerized emotion. The brunette's fearless eyes swept over Quinn's transformed face that still possessed the same elegance and unearthly beauty it had when she was human. And she bit the insides of her cheeks to remind herself that this was real, that this was really Quinn in her Veela state, that despite the transformation, she was still essentially the girl that Rachel desired. And she realized how much she still wanted Quinn, how much she didn't care about her condition and no matter what creature she could turn out to be, Rachel would gladly accept all of her. As long as she could have all of her.

"I'm not afraid of you, do you hear me?" Rachel said in a firm voice, and she intertwined her fingers with the Veela's, fully knowing that if the creature wanted, her fingers could be easily crushed. "You can't scare me away. Your Veela side is just a part of you and I intend on dating the whole of you. I think every part of you is worth knowing and -"

Rachel stopped talking when she realized that the yellow tint in the Veela's eyes was gone, her vertically dilated pupils shrinking back to a soft hazel orb.

"Hrng," the Veela throatily growled in quiet acknowledgment. And Rachel smiled at the attempt of communication.

"I really like you," she quietly confessed and gently rubbed her thumb against the cold skin in her hand. And the longer she rubbed, the more could she feel the once bloodless hand gaining heat and color, until she saw the claws retracting, growing back until they were plain fingernails again.

Rachel swallowed, looking at the completely human hand that was now intertwined with hers. Did she dare to see if Quinn was back? To see if not only her hand, but the whole of her was human again?

Hesitantly dragging her eyes away from their hands, she slowly turned her head and looked up into a face that was so stunningly beautiful that Rachel simply stared at it, greedily soaking in every detail now that it was human again.

And Quinn stared right back, scanning the other girl's face with the same eagerness and urgency, almost with an air of desperation, thinking that this chance might not last, that eventually, something or someone was going to rip her away from her. It was what caused Quinn so many sleepless nights, the nightmare that she wouldn't be able to find her mate or even worse, that her mate wouldn't be able to return her feelings.

But as Rachel stood right in front of her with no intention to go anywhere anytime soon, Quinn could feel her heart beating almost as fast as her Veela-self where the normal heartbeat frequency was twice as high as a human's normal heart rate.

There was only one thing she needed to know before she gave up her rational mind along with her heart.

"Everything you said while I was...not myself," Quinn shakily said, her eyes searchingly gazing into Rachel's, "did you mean it?"

Rachel openly gazed back, squeezing Quinn's hand. "You were yourself the whole time, Quinn. Maybe less talkative and a little bit more pale than usual, but still yourself and I knew that you would listen. So why would I lie to you?"

And it made Quinn want to laugh, to cry, to sink into the other girl's arms and let go because finally, her misery had an end and she could breathe freely again. But instead of verbally expressing any of her overwhelming emotions, she just cupped Rachel's cheeks with her hands and pulled her in for a searing kiss, feeling an electric shock running through her whole body at the contact.

They moaned against each others' mouth but refused to break apart, desperately holding on to each other, grabbing each others' clothes and burying hands in each others' hair, pulling each other closer until they were pressed together with no space in between. Shock waves after shock waves cursed through their bodies, and Quinn could feel her Veela side purring in pleasure while Rachel's head was swimming of blurry memories that were not her own. She suddenly saw herself sitting in the library, studying with dozens of books littered around her on the table. Then she saw herself lying on the Quidditch field through a rain-splattered window. And at last she saw herself standing right in front of her with an arm stretched out and looking to the ground.

In that moment, they both had unknowingly sealed a bond which not even fate would be able to change anymore. A bond that could give them unimaginable powers when they acted as a unity, but could destroy them when they turned against each other. A bond that made them stronger with each shared passionate kiss but robbed their strength with every scathing fight.

Though the couple hadn't yet fully grasped the full extent of their new bond, including the ancient magic that would accompany their relationship until the rest of their lives, there would be a time for them to find out and learn. Together.

–

"Don't go," Quinn muttered into Rachel's neck, and she took a strand of brown locks between her fingers, curling them around her digits. "Whatever you have to do, it can be done tomorrow."

Rachel got a hold of the hand playing with her hair and brought it to her mouth to gently kiss it. "I'm afraid I can't wait until tomorrow. Besides that, I really need to change my clothes." And she distastefully picked at her Quidditch robe.

"Yes, but," Quinn playfully nibbled at the flesh presented to her, and Rachel squirmed with a light giggle, "you could just take them off, you know that I won't mind."

"Of course you don't," Rachel chuckled and tipped Quinn's nose. Then, with a more serious tone, she softly said, "I don't want to go either. I would probably give everything away I have at Gringotts just to have a time-turner. Just to buy more time with you, even if it's highly risky."

A pleased smile spread on Quinn's face. "You wouldn't honestly consider messing with space and time continuum for me."

Rachel pretended to think this over before she shrugged and added, "Well, it seems half as risky as messing with an angry part Veela."

And Quinn laughed and playfully pinched Rachel for that comment. "Smart answer."

Rachel tapped a finger to her forehead and said with a smirk, "Smart girl."

A raised eyebrow was her answer. "Very modest, too. I think I finally detect some Slytherin in you."

"And I detect too much talking," Rachel mumbled and pulled Quinn in for a kiss that would occupy their mouths for the better part of their few minutes together.

–

The usually cold Slytherin common room was suffocatingly warm as it was crowded with celebrating students that were still enthusiastic about their triumph over their rivals. Butterbeer was passed around along with a few bottles of Firewhiskey. The celebrated Quidditch players were still in their uniform and sometimes demonstratively flied around the room to the cheers of their house.

When the door to the Dungeon opened and revealed a beaming Rachel Berry, they all mistook her happiness for triumph, thinking she was high from the Quidditch win, too. The Seeker had caught the Snitch in a rapid maneuver like she barely had the time to wait for the golden ball to reappear on its own. And it won the crowd over. Though they had wrongly doubted her and thought she was just impatient and reckless, they were proved wrong when the quick rounds turned out to be a smart tactic and led to a quick victory.

"Berry!" was shouted all over the place, but the loudest voice was male and came from Puckerman who was soaring above everyone on his broom, raising one butterbeer glass high up in the air. "Get her!"

Befuddled by all the chaos and all the people surrounding her, Rachel didn't react quick enough and found herself being thrown into the air by her peers, every throw accompanied with a loud cheer.

Rachel would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the attention, but she had no time to be caught up in a never ending party, so she thought of her Firebolt that had slipped out of her fingers when she had been lifted off the ground. When her peers tossed her high up into the air again, she jerked her body around midair with one arm stretched out and shouted, "Up!", and her broom took off the ground and caught her before the waiting arms of the Slytherins could.

Rachel straightened herself on her broom and flew a bit higher. She gave the crowd beneath her a strained smile, receiving stunned silence in return.

"Thank you," Rachel loudly said, so that the rest of the common room would hear as well. "It is an honor for me to be a part of this success. But in the end, it is the whole team that won and I think you should celebrate them as well, if not more."

It seemed that being a winning Quidditch player came with more authority and obedience than being a Prefect. Hardly a second passed in silence, then the crowd started roaring and chanting again, closing in on the other players that were surprised by the sudden storm of fans. Soon, there were three more Quidditch players being tossed into the air, one of them being Santana.  
Rachel saw the chance and took out her wand, pointing it at her friend, waiting for the right timing.

"Levicorpus," she muttered in the same moment that Santana was already in the air, and with a ruckus, the Slytherin chaser was pulled up by her feet by something invisible.

"The fuck? Whoever that fucking is, fucking let me go!" Santana screamed, frantically waving with her arms, but the more she moved, the worse it got as blood kept rushing to her head.

Rachel flew to her and looped an arm around her friend's waist. "Libracorpus."

And with a pained groan, Santana landed on Rachel's Firebolt with her stomach and her body folded in half over the broom.

Rachel felt bad about the rough treatment for a few seconds, but considering what evil her friend had caused despite her clearly advising against it, she deserved it.

"The hell," Santana groaned in pain, and Rachel merely put a steadying hand on her back before she flew them to their dorm, leaving the crowded common room.

Coming to a stop before her bed, Rachel pushed Santana off her broom and onto her bed. Santana rubbed her stomach and slowly sat up to glare at the shorter brunette. "Fucking explain or I'm gonna cut a bitch."

Rachel jumped off her broom and her Firebolt automatically soared into a corner of the dorm, placing itself against the wall.

"What did you tell Quinn?" Rachel decided to cut to the chase. "You manipulated her. You used her to hex Lily off her broom though I had told you that Lily never intended to play unfair. Instead, we were the ones who cheated."

Santana absently rubbed at her bruised stomach. She critically eyed Rachel.

"I honestly expected more from Fabray. Is that what she told you? That I manipulated her?"

"She didn't have to tell me," Rachel coldly said. "I just knew it was your idea from the beginning and you just needed someone capable to help you."

Her friend snorted. Standing up from her bed, she walked towards Rachel and came to a halt in front of her with her arms crossed. "Please. You didn't honestly believe that Gryffindor's pride and joy would crush on you."

"How considerate of you to boost my confidence," Rachel sarcastically said.

Santana rolled her eyes and continued, "You know I don't mean it that way. If Fabray has her panties in a twist for you, then you obviously have _some_ game. No, I'm talking about years of lame insults and weak curses that Potter put you through. And boom, just one detention together and she's suddenly hot for you? I've seen enough Muggle movies with Brits to know how this will turn out. Don't be a troll, Berry."

Rachel put a hand on her forehead and she turned away from Santana, groaning as she tried to massage the growing head ache away. The way Santana explained the relationship between her and Lily, it was understandable how everything seemed suspicious. But Rachel was convinced that despite their history, the feelings Lily had were very much real and they very much hurt.

"No," Rachel muttered with closed eyes, "you haven't talked to her like I have talked to her. You haven't seen her. She looked so..." She didn't finish the sentence.

"Come on," Santana impatiently groaned, uncrossing her arms to throw them up in frustration."Here's the thing. The night you told me she kissed you? I thought, okay, let's believe Berry that she's not imagining it because of her ego. Let's just go along with the version where Potter has it bad for a Slytherin, it's funny. I mean, those are what mushy stories are made of, right? The hero falling for the villain -"

"I'm not a -"

"Just go along with it," Santana interrupted her. "Bad and good coming together? Opposites attract? It's a classic. Happens all the time. So why not, it would be hilarious to see precious Potter to break a taboo that she set for herself: never date a Slytherin. And I wanted to see how much fun I could have with this, so I searched her for a little talk and boy was I disappointed."

Rachel removed her hands from her face and stared at her friend. What did Santana know that she didn't?

"You know, if she had just denied it, then I would have believed you," Santana said with a shrug. "But she didn't. Just asked me what I wanted and I got suspicious. So I showed her my new wand and at some point, I might have pointed it to her while explaining something to her, like, you go near Rachel and I'll tell everyone."

"Santana!" Rachel reproachfully groaned and shook her head.

"What?" her friend saw no fault in her actions. "Tell me, did she try to see you again? Did she try to talk to you after the kiss?"

When Rachel didn't reply, Santana nodded in self-satisfaction. "See? Feelings, my ass. How real can her feelings be when she let me stop her from going after you? Ain't she a Gryffindor? Face it, she tried to play you and when she realized she couldn't get past me, she gave up. Fabray just helped me to put her in her place. She better learn her lesson this time."

Rachel thought she had heard enough. This one-sided story shone a very unflattering light on Lily, and this portrayal was untrue. Santana had gotten it all wrong.

Lily didn't deny their kiss because she wasn't afraid of admitting it. Not because it didn't mean anything to her. Not because the admission came easily because of the meaninglessness. But simply because the effort in lying wasn't worth it. And when she avoided Rachel, it was not because of Santana's threat. She actually feared that Rachel would be the one to make their small encounter go viral. This scenario would be far worse than Santana's. It was one thing to be betrayed by an enemy and another if someone you deeply liked did it.

This was why Rachel remained unconvinced of Santana's story. But she didn't have the patience and time to explain everything in detail to her now.

"It won't change anything," Rachel quietly said. "You shouldn't have pulled Quinn into this."

Santana uncomfortably admitted, "Yeah, yeah, that was a bitch move. Sorry for that. Was a lot funnier in my head, you know, the Berry Games. Surviving girl gets to date you though I don't see how that can be a prize worth competing for."

"Again, thank you for your incredible talent to raise my sense of self-worth," Rachel dryly remarked, and started walking away.

"Hey, where you going? Oh come on, Berry, I know that you love me."

"That's a terribly wrong assumption," Rachel said over her shoulder. "And I'm going to shower. Because despite your foolish plans and the near catastrophic result, I managed to get a date with Quinn Fabray tonight. So please, for future reference, think twice before you joke about my love life."

–

Rachel used her fingers to brush her hair to the sides, contemplating whether to go for the deliberately ruffled or the carefully styled look. It would have to match with what she was wearing and since she had only the school uniform to go with, she had to be creative. Was wearing a tie even necessary? It wasn't like she was going to class or patrolling the corridors. But she liked wearing it, so she decided to loosen the knot and pull her collar apart to reveal more skin, giving herself a casual look.

Then ruffled hair it was. If boys could pull it off, then Rachel didn't see why she couldn't. She shook her head, making her hair fall into her face, then she combed it with her fingers, giving herself a rough look. Now the only thing missing were smokey eyes and the look would be complete. She took her wand off her nightstand and pointed it to her eyes. Blinking once, and Rachel looked at herself through perfect make-up. It was decent yet enough to make someone turn around staring after her. And this was the effect she wanted to have on Quinn.

Confidently whistling a happy tune, Rachel put her wand back onto the nightstand, she wouldn't need it tonight. She wasn't as dependent on it as other wizards or witches in her age since she had perfected basic spells without a wand.

When heading out, she inevitably had to walk through the common room and she had hoped to go unnoticed, but it wasn't as full as before, leaving her in plain sight of many curious peers.

"Did I inhale too much of Slughorn's potion gases or is it really you, Berry?"

"Don't blame it on the potions, Malfoy," Rachel indifferently said, not slowing down her walk to the door, "Your power of judgment was poor to begin with."

White blond hair came into her vision and sure enough, Scorpius Malfoy was blocking her path to the door. He eyed her up and down, then smirked. "You're going on a date."

"And you're making me late," Rachel replied with an eye roll, stepping around him, but a hand grabbing her wrist pulled her back, turning her around.

"What do you want?" Rachel angrily said, shaking his hand off.

Malfoy was still smirking at her, that was why it took Rachel longer than necessary to process the next few words.

"Roll your sleeves up to your elbows. Looks smoother that way."

Rachel stared at him, watching him grow uneasy under her hard look. He cleared his throat and pointed to her arms. "Your sleeves. Roll them up to your elbows and your look is complete. You _are _going for casual, aren't you?"

Looking down on herself, she raised her forearms. She hadn't thought about that.

"Thank you?" she offered in confusion and he just nodded, walking away. When he was out of her sight, Rachel clumsily fumbled with her sleeves, trying to roll them up like Malfoy had suggested, but she had once charmed her shapeless shirt into a slim fit so it would suit her like a second skin. Rolling up her sleeves turned out to be more difficult than she had imagined.

"I can't watch this," a voice startled her and before Rachel could protest, deft fingers worked on her sleeves, getting the work done within seconds.

The brunette looked up from her shirt into light brown eyes which were grinning at her. "I hate to say that, but Malfoy was right. It does look smoother."

"Thank you," Rachel muttered, scrunching up her face because she couldn't match a name to this redhead. "I'm sorry, I am not good with names..."

"Oh come on," the other girl laughed, and she pointed to her hair. "Try again."

Rachel's eyes widened. "You're a Weasley? In Slytherin?"

The girl proudly nodded. "Like my mama. My father wasn't that happy about the Sorting Hat's decision, but he's kind of stuffy. Always been, I mean, he's been working for the Ministry of Magic since he was 18. Like, who does that voluntarily?"

"Lucy!" Rachel finally said in realization, snapping with her fingers. "Lucy Weasley. Your father is Percy Weasley, right?"

Impressed, the redhead nodded with a smile. "Not even I can keep up with counting all my cousins in this school. Thank Merlin half of them have graduated by now, or ten percent of the Hogwarts population would be Weasleys."

Rachel only dared to laugh when she saw Lucy openly laughing about it.

"Well," Rachel smilingly said, pointing over her shoulder. "I should get going now. Thank you for helping me."

Lucy knowingly grinned. "Fabray, huh? She's seen it coming before everyone else."

Rachel slowly walked backwards, not wanting to waste any more time, but she couldn't help asking, "What do you mean?"

"And Rose told me you're exceptionally smart," Lucy said with an eye roll. "Face it, Rachel Berry, as soon as you can prove that your today's Quidditch performance wasn't a fluke, then you're going to be hot shit. And Fabray got there first."

Giving Lucy a wary look, the brunette doubtfully shook her head. "Though I am aware of the popularity of this sport, I don't think it will go beyond that. It would be very shallow to find me more interesting because of my athletic success."

"But isn't that why you joined?" Lucy challengingly said.

"No," Rachel immediately countered, standing still. "Yes. No." Then she frowned and looked away. "Yes, but not because I wanted attention. I just wanted recognition. Recognition for the things I was able to do if I put my mind on it."

Lucy scanned her face for any hints of dishonesty. When she couldn't find any, she softly said, "Congratulations then. I'm sorry, you should be on your way."

And she walked away, leaving Rachel to ponder her words. On her whole way to the Astronomy Tower, she wondered if what Lucy had said was true. Not that it would matter now or change anything. She wasn't interested in anyone who would only be interested in her for her Quidditch success. Besides, even if she didn't agree to Puckerman's choice of words when describing Quinn, she did after all get to date Hogwarts' finest piece of...butt. So why would she settle for less?

The thoughts that had occupied her brain for the last five minutes vanished once she arrived at the stairs leading to the Astronomy Tower.

"Quinn," and Rachel couldn't contain her goofy smile.

The blonde Ravenclaw swiftly turned around and mirrored Rachel's expression. Exchanging words seemed like a tedious form of social interaction in that moment, and they both knew it, and they both decided to forgo it in favor of connecting physically.

The kisses that they shared in the darkness of the corridor were less hurried, less needy than the ones they had shared a few hours ago. Now that the thought of being caught wasn't looming in the back of their minds, they could simply enjoy what they had, and even try to make their time together last longer.

Pulling away from each other long enough to notice what the other was wearing, their lips came together in another dance of pleasure and dominance, where both couldn't and didn't want to win. They just liked the fight, they didn't want a result.

When Rachel broke away to get some air, Quinn pulled her in again by her tie and started kissing a path down Rachel's throat, only stopping because she had gotten to the part where tan skin was covered by a shirt. Of course she could've bitten off a button or two, but she would never do it without the other girl's consent.

"Don't you...have to...breathe," Rachel asked in between her panting, and Quinn looked up in amusement, licking her lips at the sight of her slightly out of breath lover.

"I do," Quinn whispered against Rachel's ear, nibbling on her ear shell. Her voice was low, sensual, teasing. "But did you know that Veelas can hold their breath up to fifteen minutes? Just imagine all the things I could do to you for fifteen minutes without taking a breath."

"Oh," Rachel gasped, feeling her knees about to give in. The usually composed and eloquent Slytherin had trouble putting words together in a coherent sentence, instead repeating her only thought, "Oh wow."

"Wow indeed," Quinn murmured against Rachel's cheek before she playfully pecked on it. "Do you still want to go up to the Tower? Because I can show you stars of a different kind."

The fogginess in her mind clearing, Rachel regained her ability to speak again, and she replied with an amused smile, "Is that the line you use on all your victims? Because you should get a new one if you want it to work on me."

A look of surprise flashed across Quinn's face, but then she had to grin herself. "I knew I liked you for a reason."

"Because I'm not easy?" Rachel offered, but Quinn quietly laughed at that.

"I didn't see you resisting me," the blonde smugly said, and Rachel chuckled, leaning forward to kiss that smug grin away.

"You are kind of hard to resist," Rachel mumbled against Quinn's lips.

"Only kind of?"

"Okay, very," Rachel admitted with a laugh. "Outrageously so. And yes, I confess to being easy when it comes to you. But don't tell me that you don't enjoy it."

"Mhm," Quinn hummed contently and rewarded Rachel with a gentle and innocent kiss on her lips. "I have to give you some credit. Here I thought I managed to render you speechless, but that lasted about ten seconds."

"Well, you said you liked me for a reason," Rachel chuckled under her breath, and she placed her forehead against Quinn's, closing her eyes. "And I don't think that being a mindless puppet to you is what you were looking for."

The blonde smiled to herself and rubbed her nose against Rachel's. "Good answer. Ten points to Slytherin."

And Rachel backed away with a surprised look, seeing the mirth in Quinn's twinkling eyes. "You're giving me my points back? What about the other ten?"

"Well, those," Quinn lowered her voice as she played with Rachel's tie, "you have to earn back."

The brunette girl knew that it had been a wise decision to put on her Slytherin tie. Holding back a smug grin, she looped her arms around Quinn's waist and pulled her closer. "And how does one earn points from Quinn Fabray?"

Quinn's eyes dropped down to pink, plump and waiting lips. "Oh, there are quite a few things I can think of."

"Then consider this challenge accepted."

* * *

**Note: I was surprised by the amount of college congratulations, so thank you! All is well, I found an apartment near my college and I'm ready to suffer for the next few years :)**

**And let's forget I ever said this was going to be a 3-chaptered story. I remember how I wanted Change of Directions to be 20 chapters at max, huh that went well. **


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